EUROPEAN  LEAFLETS, 


FOR 


YOUNG    LADIES 


BY     EVANGELINE 


FIRST    SERIES. 


NEW-YORK: 

JOHN    !•  .    BALDWIN',    PKIN'TKK,  114    FULTON    ST. 
18  61. 


FjiTKRKD,  according  U'  Act  of  Congress,  in  tho  year  ISfil,  by 

A  .     E .     NEWMAN, 

ill  ihr  ri.rk'H  Offlte  ot  the  District  Court  of  the  United  states  for  the  South.-rn 
District  of  New  York. 


PREFACE 


The  Rev.  Mr.  Newman,  whose  recent  letters  from 
abroad  have  been  so  generally  read  and  commended  in  our 
religious  newspapers,  was  accompained  on  the  tour  by 
his  excellent  lady.  He  had  long  wished  to  visit  Europe, 
and  especially  the  lands  of  the  Prophets,  Apostles,  and  the 
World's  Redeemer — a  journey,  not  desired  from  recreation 
or  mere  curiosity,  but  to  improve  his  mind  for  greater  use- 
tulness  in  his  sacred  duties  and  calling.  This  cherished 
wish  he  was  able  to  gratify  from  the  Christian  affection 
and  Kberality  of  the  Bedford  Street  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church — a  sacred  and  hallowed  spot — where  his  ministerial 
labors  had  been  so  much  blessed.  So,  too,  the  fees  from  the 
-'Hard  Knot,''  (marriage)  which  often  had  been  tied  by 
him,  and  is  referred  to  in  the  first  chapter,  enabled  Mrs. 

X ,   the    authoress,   to    be   the  fellow-traveler   of    his 

vovages  and  journeys. 

Few  teachings  are  more  pleasing,  or  profitable,  than 
those  of  travel ;  aiid  readers  are  not  likely  to  be  interested 
in  anv  scenes  which  have  not  been  strongly  impressed  upoit 


IV  PKEKACK. 

the  writer's  own  mind.  The  brief  descriptions  here  given 
arise  from  a  lasting  remembrance  of  them,  and  we  doubt 
n«»t  will  be  a  source  of  ])leasure  and  profit  to  those  who 
penise  them.  It  i.s  tiie  >;tu(lieil  wish  of  the  authoress  to 
act  as  a  pleasant  guide  through  those  regions  she  passed 
over,  and  so  striking  and  rich  in  beautiful  scenery,  and  im- 
pH'Stfive  histories.  Her  friends  have  urged  the  publication 
(if  this  volume,  to  l)<*  followed  by  two  others — "Leaflets," 
trom  France,  (xerniauy,  and  Switzerland — and  "Leaflets" 
of  Italy,  glorious,  classic  Tialy  !  It  is  high  lime  that 
fashionable  story  books,  with  bad  magazine  reading,  now 
su  universal,  should  be  laid  aside  for  the  more  valuable 
study  of  travels  and  history.  The  l)est  way  to  accomplish 
this  noble  object,  is  to  increase  the  taste  for  elegant,  truth- 
ful literature,  made  attractive  In'  the  hand  of  genius  and 
pieiy. 

The  autiioress  will  not  venture  to  offer  any  apology  for 
th<-  itiij)erfecliuns  of  the  "Leaflets,"  her  first  work.  Such 
as  it  is,  she  commends  the  volume  to  the  improvement  of 
her  readers,  and  the  blessings  of  heaven.  May  some  good 
ae(omj»any  these  pages,  which  the  angels  shall  gather  for 
th«^   gainer  of   the  skies! 

(I.  P.  D. 
Tht  Cluc»\  Stattn  Island, 

CtfRlSTMAS.    1861. 


C  0  N  T  E  N  T  S 


IVV.E 

CHAPTER          1.  — Kmbarkatiox, 7 

ir. — Ocean  YoYAGE, 12 

"             III. — Isle  of  Wigjit.         ....  o^ 

"              IV. — Isle  of  "Wight  to  London,          -        -  36 

"               V. — British  Museum  and  St.  Paul's,     -  47 
"             VI.- -First    Sabbath  in  London  —  Weslev's 

Grave — Westminster  Abbey,       -  58 

"            VII. — The  Parks  and  To^er  of  London,     -  71 
"          VIII.— Academy  of  Arts— Mad.  Tussaud's  Gal- 
lery— City  Road  Chapel — St.  Paut's,    85 
"             IX. — Windsor  Castle — Herschel's  Grave — 

Gray's  Elegy — An  English  Family,  1 00 
X.— roMB  oe    Thomson  —  Pope's  Grotto  — 
Hampton    Court   Palace  —  Crystal 

Palace, Ill 

"  XI. — Whitfield's  Chapel — London  Docks — 
Green\\-ich  Observatory — National 
Gallery  —  Bunhill  Fields  Blrial 
Grounds, J25 


()  N  1  i:  N  T  - 


C11APTP:R    XII.— a  PRAYEa-MEETiN(i— .-^kein.,  tue  Qieen 

ANJ)  Royal  Family,         -        -        -         1-il 
XIII.— Leaving  London— Trip  to  Edinburgh,    148 
XIV. — Gheen  Cemetery — Arthur's  Seat — Mel- 
rose Abuey — Dryijurgh  Abbey  and 
Abbotsfori),       -  -  17  1 

XY. — Jediurgii   Abbey — Kelso   Abbey — Ros- 

LiN  CiiAi'EL — Northern  Scotland,         1h6 
XVI. — Ireland — Giant's    Causeway — Belfast 

— DruMN. 197 


f;iU0))iea»  ^tuiUH 


CHAPTER  I. 


E    il    B    A    R    K   A    T    I    0   N 


Saturday,  JA/y  5lh. 

The  clay  dawned  charmingly — we  were  up 
bright  and  early,  for  at  eleven  o'clock  A.M. 
the  steamer  w\as  to  sail.  I  paused  a  moment 
as  I  looked  from  the  window,  to  reflect  if  our 
plans  were  all  complete.  The  two  j^ears  that 
had  glided  so  rapidly  and  pleasantly  away, 
and  had  closed  so  gloriously,  came  up  before 
me  sparkling  with  the  precious  jewels  that 
had  been  added  to  the  Church,  that  might  at 
one  day  shine  in  our  crowns  of  rejoicing. 

The  last  ''  hard  knot "  had  been  tied,  the 
darling  fees  of  which  had  constructed  a 
golden  bridge  that  spanned  the  wide  Atlantic, 
and  ran  with  me  over  many  miles  of  the  Old 
World. 

The  foundation  on  which  Mr.  N had 

builded  hopes  to  climb  where  "  Moses  stood 

1 


8  LEAFLETS. 

and  view  the  landscape  o'er,"  had  been  made 
firm  by  his  friends,  who  had  placed  in  it  a 
sure  corner-stone  on  which  was  engraven  in 
golden  letters,  one  thousand  dollars.  The 
passports  were  secured,  the  note  of  credit 
made  out,  the  tickets  purchased,  the  eflects 
of  house-keeping  all  stowed  away,  and  the 
happy  home  at  the  parsonage  transferred  to 
others.  We  had  received  the  blessing  of  our 
angel  mother,  also  a  golden  tolcen  from  our 

fiiends  in  A ,  where  we  had  spent  two 

happy  years.  All  is  complete,  thought  I,  and 
had  just  drawn  up  my  bow  and  was  watching 
the  arrow  flying  into  the  future  to  strike  af-^-* 
target  away  off  in  Europe,  when  I  remem-i^2 
bered  that  my  limited  wardrobe  and  the 
choice  paraphernalia  I  had  selected  as  neces- 
sary for  such  a  journey  was  not  yet  packed, 
and  a  decree  had  gone  forth  that  one  small 
trunk  and  carpet-bag  must  contain  all  I  was 
to  carry  w^ith  me.  It  has  been  asserted  by 
many  of  the  ''  lords  of  creation  "  that  the  ladies 
usually  carry  about  half,  if  not  more,  of  their 
traveling  expenses  in  huge  trunks;  for  my 
part,  I  was  willing  and  even  anxious  to  refute 
this  idea.     How  closely  did  Mrs.  H and 


EMBARKATION.  9 

myself  crowd  all  into  that  dear  little  trunk 
and  one  carpet-bag  !     But  alas  for  the  valise 

which  Mr.  N had  imagined  would  hold 

all  he  wished  to  carry.  By  the  way,  it  is  also 
said  that  gentlemen  have  to  take  but  very 
little  with  them  when  they  travel ;  however, 
when  the  valise  was  packed  and  crowded  to 
its  utmost  capacity,  it  was  minus,  I  reckon, 
some  forty  or  fifty  books,  and  many  other  ar- 
ticles that  would  have  coaxed  themselves  into 
my  little  trunk  had  it  not  been  locked  and 
strapped  securely.  Another  trunk  was  im- 
mediately ordered,  and  well  filled,  making  us 
at  this  time  equal  in  the  baggage  line. 

At  a  few  moments  past  ten  o'clock  the  car- 
riages drove  to  the  door.  We  took  an  affec- 
tionate leave  of  our  noble  lady,  Mrs.  B , 

who  had  in  her  unceasing  kindness  been  next 
to  our  own   dear    mother.     Our    friend    Mr. 

D ,  and  some  other  members  of  the  family, 

took  seats  with  us  in  the  carriage,  and  away 
we  drove.  It  was  only  a  few  moments  and 
we  were  safely  on  the  noble  steamer  Vander- 
hilt^  where  we  were  greeted  by  a  host  of 
friends  who  had  gathered  there  to  see  us  off. 
Owing  to  the   low  tide  we  were  detained  for 


10  LEAFLETS. 

several  hours,  and  did  not  leave  until  nearly 
four  o'clock  P.  M.  The  time,  hcjwever,  was 
delightfully  spent,  chatting  with  this  one  and 
that  one  who  were  i)recious  to  our  hearts'  best 
aflbctions  hy  many  acts  of  love,  and  who  in 
these  moments  were  breathing  a  thousand 
kind  wishes  for  our  safety  and  success.  At 
last  came  the  sound  of  the  warning  bell,  and 
with  it  the  shout  '^  all  ashore."  Farewell, 
love's  last  watchword,  trembled  on  every  lip 
as  we  parted.  In  a  moment  more  the  steamer 
was  loosed,  and  we  were  moving  slowly  but 
gracefully  away. 

Crowds  thronged  the  wharf,  among  which 
the  waving  of  "  woman's  token  "  looked  like 
snow-ilakes  in  Autumn  ;  while  stouter  hearts 
and  louder  voices  gave  out  round  after  round 
of  hearty  cheers.  Those  on  board  smiled 
amid  their  tears,  and  bowed  and  waved  grate- 
ful adieux.  Our  ship  returned  the  compli- 
ments ol'  the  hour  l)y  a  parting  salute  from 
the  gun  on  Ijoard. 

As  we  sailed  out  of  the  beautiful  bay  of 
New  York  we  watched  the  crowd  until  they 
mingled  in  the  busy  throng.  Still  how  de- 
votedly   we    looked    until    every    spire    and 


EMBARKATION.  11 

dome  faded  from  our  view ;  nor  did  we  turn 
our  wishful  gaze  till  the  very  shadows  of  the 
last  dim  outline  of  the  narrow  point  of  land 
that  stretches  far  out  into  the  sea  was  lost  to 
sight. 

The  sky  was  hung  with  the  mellow,  sub- 
dued coloring  of  approaching  twilight,  span- 
gled by  a  few  fading  beams  of  the  setting  sun, 
as  we  bade  adieu  to  our  own  native  land. 


CHAPTER  II. 


0  C  E  A  N      \  (>  V  A  G  E . 


Let  us  tui'ii  now  to  our  "life  on  the  ocean 
wave,  and  our  home  on  the  rolling  deep." 
We  had  not  heen  out  long  when  we  were  sum- 
moned to  the  dining  saloon  ;  but,  strange  as 
it  may  appear.  I  can  not  recall  any  thing  that 
occurred  after  we  went  down,  or  any  thing 
that  was  served  at  the  dinner.  I  only  remem- 
ber we  were  furnished  with  seats  at  the  cap- 
tain's table.  Very  soon  we  were  on  deck 
again,  looking  at  the  ocean,  whose  bosom  was 
as  cahu  as  that  of  a  sleeping  infant's.  Some 
were  promenading  rapidly  to  and  fro,  the 
length  of  the  deck  ;  others  had  already  re- 
tired to  their  rooms  ;  while  a  few  sat  pen- 
sively, as  I  did,  looking  down- into  the  clear 
depths  below.  Such  a  calm,  undisturbed  twi- 
light, the  hrst  ever  witnessed  b}^  me  at  sea, 
seemed  peculiarly  fitted  for  retlection.  What 
an  eventful  day  was  closing  !  which  appeared 


OCEAN     VOYAGE.  13 

like  a  whole  volume  in  life's  history,  in  which 
eveiy  hour  had  wrought  pages,  and  the  mo- 
ments had  drawn  the  lines.  Recollections 
and  anticipations,  in  rapid  alternation,  began 
to  crowd  upon  my  mind,  when  the  calm  spirit 
of  the  evening  touched  the  electric  chord  and 
whispered  to  my  heart,  bringing  back  with  a 
strange  and  winning  power,  departed  years 
and  childhood's  days  in  all  their  bloom  and 
fi*eshness — thoughts  that  had  long  slumbered 
awakened,  with  a  thousand  fond  associations, 
dear  familiar  faces  wreathed  with  gay 
smiles,  or  tears  appeared  from  their  hidden 
depths  ;  while  ever  and  anon  I  seemed  to 
hear  sweet  voices  greeting  me,  as  visions 
bright  and  sad  came  trooping  through  mem- 
ory's vista.  The  past  was  thus  looming  up  be- 
fore me  richly  ladened  witli  treasured  joys  and 
burdened  with  but  few  sorrows,  when  Mr. 
N came  up  and  offered  me  his  arm,  say- 
ing we  must  go  to  our  rooms,  as  it  was  be- 
coming quite  damp.  I  looked  up,  surprised 
to  see  that  it  was  dark,  and  that  the  little 
stars  had  begun  to  look  out  of  their  ethereal 
windows  down  upon  us,  as  if  to  assure  us  that 
our  wise  mother  nature  does  not  extinguish 


14  LEAFLETS. 

all  her  lights  when  she  lets  tall  the  curtain  of 
night  which  hides  the  king  of  day,  and  at  the 
same  time  silences  all  voices  in  the  great 
world-house  without.  How  still  was  every 
thing  around  us,  not  a  sound  reached  our  ear 
except  the  voices  of  the  few  that  remained  on 
deck,  or  those  who,  like  ourselves,  were  pass- 
ing in  two  by  two  into  our  ark  of  safety  for 
the  night.  As  we  entered,  I  could  but  remark 
that  our  little  state-room  really  looked  cosy ; 
but,  somehow,  I  have  always  had  a  dislike  to 
those  kind  of  beds  where  one  above  the  other 
we  were  to  stretch  our  wearied  limbs ;  and 
then  there  was  something  ominous  in  those 
two  mysterious  little  semi-circular  green 
painted  tins  with  hooks  attaching  them  to 
the  heads  of  our  berths,  which  I  tried  to  be- 
lieve would  be  of  no  use  to  me. 

After  reading  the  Bible,  and  asking  Him 
whose  eyelids  never  close  to  w%atch  over  us, 
we  extinguished  our  little  lamp  and  retired, 
with  a  still  small  voice  whispering  to  us  that 
He  who  rules  the  winds  and  the  waves  loved 
us  as  his  children.  The  lights  were  put  out 
in  the  saloons  at  eleven  o'clock,  but  my  eyes 
refused  to  close  in  sleep.     It  was  a  strange 


OCEAN     VOYAGE.  15 

night  to  me,  cradled  on  the  heaving  bosom  of 
"  Old  Ocean,"  and  rocked  by  the  gentle  winds  ; 
still,  very  much  like  a  stubborn  child,  I  either 
could  not  or  would  not  sleep  until  near  day- 
dawn. 

Sutulay  MoDiing. — I  awoke  after  having 
enjoyed  what  seemed  to  me  only  a  little 
''cat  nap"  —  it  was  so  brief;  and  then 
when  I  opened  my  eyes  and  raised  my  head, 
it  was  only  to  feel  a  strange,  unpleasant  sen- 
sation, with  fearful  forebodings  of  ''  unsettled 
accounts."  I  arose  and  began  to  dress,  hop- 
ing that  going  out  on  deck,  in  the  open  air, 
it  might  pass  off.  I  had  not  been  standing- 
long,  when,  instead  of  passing  off,  it  seemed 
intuitively  to  pass  right  into  that  little  green 
tin  still  hanging  on  my  berth.  Right  heartily 
had  I  laughed  the  day  before  on  hearing  some 
one  ask  if  these  green  things  were  life-pre- 
servers.    Alas  !  I  began  now  to  think  they 

were   life   depositors.     Mr.  N had  been 

invited  to  preach  in  the  saloon  at  half-past 
ten  o'clock,  and  already  I  heard  the  sweet 
singing.  After  awhile  I  managed  to  get  up, 
and  found  a  large  and  interesting  congre- 
gation   assembled    in    the    upper    saloon,    in 


16  L  E  A  F  L  E  T  S  . 

the  centre  of  which  stood  a  table  covered 
with  our  national  tlag,  with  the  stars  and 
stri[)es  gloriously  dis])hiyed  ;  and  on  it  lay  a 
Bi])le  and  several  Books  of  Common  Prayer. 

Mr.  L read  the  service,  and  Mr.  N 

preached.  All  listened,  as  if  impressed  that 
it  was  an  hour  of  heartfelt  worship.  As  soon 
as  the  exercises  closed,  nearly  all  went  on 
deck  to  breathe  the  fresh  air.  The  morning 
was  surpassingly  lovely,  worthy,  indeed,  to 
be  called  one  of  the  days  of  the  Son  of  Man. 
The  waters  surrounded  us  like  a  vast  un- 
known expanse,  over  which  our  gallant 
steamer  was  gliding  in  queenly  pride  and 
beauty. 

While  on  deck,  the  attention  and  sympa- 
thies of  many  were  enlisted  at  the  sight  of  a 
little  weary  wanderer,  with  drooping  wing, 
which  the  zephyrs  of  the  previous  night  had 
wafted  along  after  us.  "  0  !"  exclaimed  one, 
in  poetic  rapture,  "  it  may  be  a  bird  of  pas- 
sage sent  to  bring  under  its  tiny  wing  a 
precious  missive  for  some  of  us  from  loved 
ones  we  have  left  behind."  Not  thus,  but 
like  the  ''  ark  dove,"  it  was  seeking  a  resting 
place  for  the  sole  of  its  foot.     Noah  like,  one 


OCEAN     VOYAGE.  IT 

of  the  gentlemen  reached  out  his  hand  and 
took  it  in,  when  it  became  an  object  of  great 
cm^osity  ;  but  very  soon,  either  from  fatigue 
or  fear  at  having  been  made  a  prisoner,  it 
fluttered  for  a  while,  then  gasped  and  died. 

Toward  evening  a  breeze  came  up,  which 
soon  tipped  the  waves  with  white,  which 
caused  our  floating  palace  to  roll  and  stoop 
with  many  graceful  and  dignified  airs,  until 
the  gentle  warbling  and  pensive  sighing  of 
the  winds,  which  at  first  was  music,  had  now 
increased  to  a  doleful  wail.  Proud  Neptune 
was  triumphing,  and  thus  early  on  our  voyage 
this  cruel  old  '^  Ocean  King  "  began  abruptly 
to  demand  his  "  tribute  money."  Some  sub- 
mitted without  delay,  and  strong  men  were 
forced  to  yield  to  him  the  sceptre  of  their 
power,  and  allow  the  imperious  monarch 
to  collect  his  revenues,  which,  under  all  cir- 
cumstances, were  paid  over  in  genuine  coin, 
bearing  the  image  and  superscription  of  the 
sea.  Once,  in  my  school  days,  when  trying 
to  solve  a  mental  mathematical  problem,  we 
proved  in  the  end  that  all  live  within  a  circle 
whose  centre  is  the  will ;  the  radius  may  vary, 
but   the  centre  will  remain  fixed.     My  will 


18  LEAFLETS. 

was  firm  not  to  be  sick  again ;  but  before  night 
I  began  to  know  tliat  the  radius  was  varying 
so  rapidly,  I  thought  it  best  to  tlee  to  my 
room,  where  I  surrendered,  will  aud  all. 

Many  little  incidents  served  to  befiruile  the 
weary  hours,  and  somewhat  relieved  the 
tedium  of  the  voyage.  We  had  no  cause  for 
fear,  for  our  Captain,  though  a  quiet  man, 
aud  of  few  words,  Av^as  vigilant  and  always 
at  his  post,  and,  if  I  am  any  judge,  he  was 
every  inch  a  gentleman;  and  the  good  natur- 
ed,  social  Doctoi-,  with  his  chubby  suiiling 
face,  Avas  enough  to  drive  away  sea-sickness, 
at  least,  to  prevent  hydrophobia,  from  its 
iatal  effects.  Among  many  of  the  passengers 
we  did  not  fail  to  discover  a  high  tone  in  their 

character.      Mrs.    F ,    the    wife    of    our 

American  Minister  in  Paris,  having  herself 
escaped  sea-sickness,  visits  the  rooms  of  the 
suffering,  and  cheers  them  by  the  light  of  her 
countenance.  Robert  Dale  Owen  is  very 
social.  The  troop  of  dramatic  singers  are 
very  musical ;  besides  these,  there  are  several 
euiineut  physicians  and  Avealthv  merchants 
Avith  their  families,  and  many  others,  whose 
society  we  might  enjoy  if  it  were  not  that  the 


OCEAN      A^OYAGE.  19 

waters  are  constantly  troubled,  and  thereby 
we  are  troubled.  There  are  on  board  French, 
Spanish,  English,  Scotch,  Germans  and  Amer- 
ican passengers,  reminding  us  that  we  are 
traversing  the  great  highway  of  nations.  A 
Frenchman  brought  on  board  a  favorite  pony, 
which  was  an  object  of  our  sympathy  when  we 
ascertained  that  he  had  been  a  fearful  subject 
of  sea-sickness — also  a  noble  Newfoundland 
dog,  who,  as  he  sat  in  his  kennel  all  day,  was 
a  very  life-like  picture  of  ''patience  on  a  mon- 
ument smiling  at  grief."  "  The  sea  still 
wrought  and  was  tempestuous,"  which  gave 
to  the  saloons  the  appearance  of  a  first-class 
hospital ;  there  was  no  walking  or  talking  ; 
even  the  ladies  were  as  mum  as  you  please — 
every  one  Avas  either  sitting  or  reclining  at 
full  length  on  the  sofas,  with  these  words 
deeply  engraven  on  their  elongated,  forlorn, 
woe-begone  countenances  :  "  the  heart  know- 
eth  its  own  bitterness,"  or  '-my  misery  is 
greater  than  I  can  bear."  Some  declared  they 
would  never  be  caught  at  sea  again  ;  others 
were  contriving  to  return  by  way  of  Behring's 
Straits.      About  this   time    the  purser   came 

around  calling  for  the  tickets.     One  lady  had 

2 


20  LEAFLETS. 

some  difficulty  in  finding  hers,  but  consoled 
herself  with  the  hope  that  if  it  was  not  found 
they  would  stop  the  ship  and  put  her  off;  but 
on  this  liquid  highway  there  are  no  grateful 
depots,  not  even  one  half-way  house — all 
must  "  to  the  end  endure  "  wlio  hope  to  see 
the  land.  I  do  really  believe  there  were  some 
that  would  have  made  but  very  little  lesist- 
ance  bud  an  attempt  been  made  to  have 
thi'own  them  overboard. 

Tlmrsday. — A  dark,  dismal  and  stormy 
day  closed  upon  a  fearful  and  densely  foggy 
night,  which  brought  with  it  only  visions  of 
icebergs,  collisions,  wrecks  and  sudden  de- 
struction. Our  ship  continued  to  roll  and 
pitch  in  a  chop  sea  at  a  tremendous  rate — 
fitful  repose  claimed  the  place  of  sound  sleep. 

Mr.  N was  so  quiet  I  supposed  he  was  in 

the  land  of  Nod,  when  suddenly,  with  a  sort 
of  desperate  spring,  he  precipitated  his  bundle 
of  liumanity  from  the  upper  berth,  sayings  as 
he  did  so:  '-I  can't  endure  it  any  longer;  I'm 
going  up  on  deck  to  see  the  moon  rise.'^ 
Before  I  had  time  to  entreat  him  not  to  go, 
he  closed  the  door  and  was  gone.  I  think  I 
was  never  so  near  being  paralyzed  with  fear; 


OCEAN      VOYAGE.  21 

the  timbers  in  the  ship  were  writhing  and 
creaking,  and  threatened  every  moment  to 
divide ;  the  winds  groaned  and  howled  furi- 
ously ;  the  waves  leaping  and  dashing  against 
the  sides  of  the  ship,  thundering  with  the 
deafening  roar  and  fury  of  a  thousand  cata- 
racts. Looking  through  the  window  I  could 
see  the  maddened  storm,  and  fancied  I 
saw  a  mountain  wave  dash  over  the  vessel, 
and  carry  him  with  it  into  the  frowning  deep. 
I  thought  I  saw  him  grappling  and  buffeting 
with  the  angry  waters.  0  !  it  was  awful !  it 
was  like  a  fearful  nightmare.  In  utter  des- 
pair, I  listened  to  the  winds  and  waves  chant- 
ing dolefully  his  requiem.  It  was  like  seeing 
one  rise  from  the  dead,  when  he  again  en- 
tered, and  very  coolly  said  :  "  He  thought 
it  would  be  sometime  before  her  majesty 
would  make  her  nightly  debut."  I  rather 
doubted  if  he  ventured  on  deck  at  all.  For 
hours  we  remained  at  the  mercy  of  the 
Storm  King.  Before  morning,  however,  the 
sea  calmed,  and  when  day  unbarred  the 
Oriental  gates,  and  Sol  rode  up  in  his  golden 
chariot,  I  can  never  forget  the  course  of 
tremulous  radiance  that  reached  down,  and 


99 


LEAFLETS 


stretching  along  on  the  water,  which  seemed 
like  a  golden  highway  cast  up  for  the  lieing 
who,  in  the  days  of  His  incarnation,  walked 
on  tlie  sea  to  His  disciples,  and  saying  to  the 
rajrine:  storm :  "  Peace  !  be  still  !  and  there 
was  a  great  calm."'  Had  not  His  mandate, 
unheard  by  us,  quieted  the  storm  7 — for  thus 
was  the  sea  calm  unto  us  in  the  morning. 
As  soon  as  the  sun  rose,  the  decks  were 
crowded  ;  there  w^as  a  general  resurrection  of 
wasted  energies,  and  many  who  had  not  been 
out  of  their  berths  before,  ''  came  forth." 
How  fresh,  hoAV  delightful  and  invigorating, 
were  the  pulsations  of  this  new  life  !  All 
day  long  the  decks  looked  like  a  little  com- 
nuniit}'  turned  out  on  a  holida}'. 

Again  it  is  Sabbath  morning,  and  the  hour 
for  divine  service  ;  the  National  flag,  as  on 
the  previous  Sabbath,  is  spread  out  over  the 
ta])le  in  the  centre  of  the  saloon.  Catholics. 
Protestants,  Infidels,  and  even  Jews,  meet  with 
one  accord,  and  unite  in  songs  of  praise.     Mr. 

N then  read  the  beautiful  Eno-lish  ser- 

vice,  and  Mr.  L preached.     He  was  pale 

from  sea-sickness,  and  seemed  thoughtful  even 
to   sadness.     His   sermon,    however,   carried 


OCEAX      VOYAGE.  23 


with  it  a  sweet  and  hallowed  inliueiice.  I 
think  I  have  seldom  looked  upon  a  brow  more 
pure  and  spiritual  than  his.  He  is  to  be  Dr. 
M'Clintock's  assistant  in  the  American  Union 
Chapel  in  Paris.  Many  blessings  go  with 
him.  The  weather  continues  fine  ;  the 
bright  side  of  "life  on  the  ocean  wave"  be- 
gins to  throw  its  charms  all  around  us. 


Tuesday  morning  brought  us  within  sight 
of  land,  welcome,  thrice  welcome  to  our  weary 
eyes.  As  if  by  magic,  every  trace  of  sea- 
sickness had  disappeared,  and  every  coun- 
tenance glowed  with  rapture.  The  event lul 
voyage  to  us  (it  being  our  first)  would 
soon  terminate,  and  for  the  first  time  it 
seemed  short,  and  I  could  but  regret  that 
I  had  been  a  fettered  captive,  which  had 
prevented  my  enjoying  any  portion  of  it, 
or  seeing  any  thing.  How  my  childhood's 
dreamy  vagaries  had  fled  in  regard  to  the 
grand  and  sublime  of  "  Old  Ocean,"  and  of 
Neptune  sweeping  along  in  his  misty  chariot, 
with  airy  steeds,  over  coral  reefs  and  beds  of 
pearl,  followed  by  the  beaded  bubbles  from 
eveiy  wave.  I  saw  no  laughing  schools  of 
porpoises,  fantastic,  gay  mermaids,  mammoth 


24  LEAFLETS. 

wlhiles,  greedy  sharks,  slimy  serpents,  with 
all  the  host  of  sea-monsters  and  wonders. 
Intense  interest  and  excitement  prevailed  as 
we  passed  the  precipitous  promontory,  and 
threaded  what  is  known  as  the  Needles,  which 
arc  three  large,  misshapen,  chalk-like  rocks, 
twenty  feet  high,  having  been  washed  from 
the  mainland  by  the  action  of  the  sea.  Alone 
they  stand  in  solitary  grandeur,  not  unlike 
the  majestic  pillars  of  some  unfinished  temple. 

We  glided  slowly  along  the  calm  waters  of 
the  Solent.  On  our  right  extended  the  Isle 
of  Wight,  in  all  the  beauty  of  budding  spring- 
time ;  the  rugged  cliffs  and  jutting  headlands 
of  the  promontory  now  assumed  a  gentle  slop- 
ing landscape,  varied  in  its  scenery  by  thick 
wooded  lawns  and  little  villages,  princely 
houses,  blooming  gardens,  with  verdant  mea- 
dows reaching  down  to  the  margin,  and  kissing 
the  sleeping  waters  of  this  beautiful  bay. 

Our  steamer  was  bound  to  Havre,  but  about 
half-past  ten  o'clock  A.  M.,  she  anchored  in 
the  stream  opposite  a  little  town  by  the  name 
of  Cowes ;  here  a  smaller  steamer  came  up  to 
our  side  to  take  those  going  to  Southampton. 
Just  at  this  moment  we  decided  to  spend  a 


OCEAN      VOYAGE.  25 

short  time,  at  least,  on  the  garden  Isle.  We 
left  our  nohle  steamer,  and  from  the  smaller 
steamer  we  stepped  into  a  little   row  l)oat, 

which  was   filled   hy   Mr.  T 's    and    Mr. 

J 's  families  and  ourselves,  and  was  row- 
ed to  land,  a  distance  of  ahout  one-fourth  of  a 
mile,  hy  two  live,  red-luced  Englishmen.  As 
we  sprang  on  shore,  a  happier  company  me- 
thinks  never  pressed  Britain's  soil.  We  shout- 
ed, in  triumphant  concert,  '-glorious  terra 
firma! "  How  I  would  have  enjoyed  to  have 
made  this  fixir  Isle,  which  at  this  moment  ap- 
peared to  he  our  Eden  restored,  vocal  with 
glad  alleluiahs,  wdiich  were  running  all  over 
me  in  hlest  ecstacy.  I  felt  not  unlike  an  old 
hero,  who,  wdien  he  came  in  sight  of  the 
towers  and  domes  of  the  once  glorious  Jeru- 
salem, fell  prostrate  and  kissed  the  ground — 
I  am  sure  I  could  have  thus  clasped  this 
wanton  earth  in  my  eml)race. 


CHAPTKR  IH. 

I   S   I,   F.      OF      W  I   (i    II   T  . 

AVe  sto})pe(l  ;it  the  Gloucester  Hotel,  which 
is  only  a  few  feet  iVoiii  the  water's  edge.  At 
twelve  we  ordei'cd  lunch,  but  I  will  not  at- 
tempt to  descril)e  that  ample  joint  of  roast 
beef,  and  the  delicious  cottage  bread  that  was 
set  before  us,  neither  will  I  tell  you  how  much 
we  stowed  away,  for  I  do  not  knoAv.  It  is 
enough  to  know  that  we  had  been  fasting  for 
ten  or  eleven  days,  which  gave  us  a  capacity 
to  do  justice  to  our  appetites  that  had  return- 
ed to  us,  strengthened  by  almost  total  al)sti- 
nence.  Having  been  tossed,  rocked,  pitched, 
rolled,  reeled,  and  tuml^led  for  so  many  days 
by  a  sort  of  liquid  earthcpiake,  it  was  dilhcult 
to  do  away  with  the  illusion  that  we  were  not 
still  moving  involuntarily.  After  lunch  we 
took  carriages  and  rode  out  over  the  Island, 
which  is  some  twenty  miles  in  length,  and 
twelve  in  breadth,  with  a  populaticm  of  about 
lirtA-five  thousand.     ().  what  a   cliarming  di- 


ISLE      OF      WIGHT.  Zi 

-s  ersity  of  natural  scenery,  all  harmonizing  to 
make  one  perfect  scene  of  loveliness !  The 
roads  were  like  long  winding  leafy  lanes,  em- 
bowered by  venerable  trees,  and  inclosed  by 
the  most  beautiful  hawthorn  hedges.  Little 
spring  tiowers  of  almost  every  hue  were  grow- 
ing wild  and  luxuriantly  by  the  way-side  ;  here 
and  there  were  neat  little  thatched  roofed 
cottao-es,  around  the  doors  of  which  were 
playing  rosy-cheeked  children,  and  the  un- 
pretending morning-glories  were  creeping  up, 
to  curtain  with  nature's  own  drapeiy  the  win- 
dows of  humble  and  honest  industry. 

The  Isle  of  Wight  has  a  stirring  history,  and 
in  its  archives  are  the  records  of  many  thrill- 
ing events  of  kings  and  queens,  brave  knights, 
and  noble  lords ;  and  here  many  proud  monu- 
ments have  been  erected  to  attest  their  glory ; 
but,  alas,  the  uncourtly  hand  of  time  has  al- 
ready written  "Ichabod"  on  these  proud  monu- 
ments and  castle  homes  of  crowned  heads 
and  sceptred  hands.  The  cloud  of  oblivion 
is  also  vailing  the  chivalrous  deeds,  the  glit- 
tering spears  and  jeweled  helmets  of  earldom 
and  knighthood.  But  religion  has  reared,  on 
this  fair  Isle,  one  monument  of  which  the  de- 


"28  L  K  A  Y  L  E  T  S  . 

vastating  hand  of  time  will  have  no  power  to 
crinn])le  and  destroy,  and  when  ag-e  after  aire 
.shall  numher  its  cycles  with  eternity;  long 
after  the  liiuiihle  cottage,  and  the  modest 
clnii-ch  ill  which  is  the  pew.  still  shown,  where 
she  used  to  sit,  and  the  green  mound  that 
heaves  ahove  the  last  resting-place  of  Eliza- 
beth Wallbridge,  sleeping  quietly  her  hast  long 
sleep;  after  all  these  have  been  leveled  by 
decay,  and  every  trace  disappear,  still  many 
a  pilgrim  from  fiir  and  wide  Avill  wend  their 
way,  and  bow,  in  reverent  love,  before  this 
pure  shrine  of  early  piety.  Who  can  point 
to  old  age,  with  failing  eyesight,  that  has  not 
pored  over  this  simple  record  of  her  modest 
Christian  life  and  exultant  death !  and  where 
is  the  child  that  has  not  paused  amid  its  frolic 
and  play  to  listen  to  the  story  of  "the  Dairy- 
man's Daughter,"  so  touchingly  narrated  by 
Leigh  Richmond  '? 

Carisbrook  Castle  is  a  stupendous  pile  of 
mouldering  ruins  ;  my  simple  unsophisticated 
childhood  never  dreamed  of  such  magnificent 
decay.  But  it  is  a  reality.  I  am  standing, 
for  the  first  time,  and  gazing  on  castellated 
walls,  grand   amid   their  ruin.     We  entered 


ISLE      OF      WIGHT.  29 

this  castle  between  two  btastions,  hoary  with 
age,  and  passed  through  a  small  stone  gate- 
way. On  the  front  of  the  arch  there  is  a  shield 
inscribed  with  the  initial  letters  E.  Iv.  and 
the  figure  40 — the  40th  year  of  Queen  Eliza- 
beth's reign — and  this  arched  gateway  is  con- 
sidered an  architectural  relic  of  Jier  reign. 
We  soon  reached  another  gateway  of  still 
greater  antiquity,  the  gate  made  of  strong 
lattice  work,  joined  with  large  round-headed 
nails  at  each  crossing.  The  gate  was  opened, 
and  we  were  admitted  by  a  fair  maiden,  ^vhose 
very  smile  seemed  full  of  romance,  her  saucy 
little  hat,  and  velvet  jacket,  and  white  kid 
gloves  strangely  contrasted  with  the  venera- 
ble walls  of  the  old  castle ;  she  is  the  successor 
of  an  older  sister,  whom,  we  were  informed,  a 
romantic  Frenchman  saw  here  for  the  iirst 
time,  and  wooed  her  to  his  Parisian  home. 
On  either  side  of  this  portal  are  immense 
round  towers  of  great  strength  ;  and,  passing 
into  the  inclosure  on  the  left,  are  the  ruins  of 
the  Chapel  of  St.  Nicholas  ;  a  kitchen  garden^ 
filled  with  vegetables,  growing  on  the  place 
once  used  as  an  abbey  or  cemetery  !  After  ex- 
amining these  ruins  we  proceeded  to  Eliza- 


30  LEAFLETS. 

beth's  apartments,  where  the  echo  of  three 
hundred  years  seemed  to  luring  back  the 
voices  of  England's  nobility.  This  proud  and 
ambitious  Queen  swayed  a  powerful  sceptre 
in  this  age  of  j^eriwigs  and  knee-])uckles  and 
frivolous  display,  which  has  left  but  few  gloii- 
ous  memories  of  noble  thoughts  and  noble 
deeds.  The  ceilings  are  lofty,  and  still  bear 
the  impress  of  royal  grandeur.  The  marble 
mantel-piece  remains  perfect,  around  which 
kings  and  queens  once  watched  the  blazing 
fire  that  glowed  beneath  this  olden  mar]:)le. 
The  apartments  where  Charles  the  First  was 
imprisoned  are  in  a  perfectly  ruinous  state. 
Mr.  N.  climbed  up  with  the  greatest  difficulty 
to  the  window  from  which  the  unfortu- 
nate king,  in  attempting  to  escape,  was  taken, 
and  soon  after  beheaded.  After  clambering 
up  broken  stairways,  we  commenced  a  circuit 
of  the  immense  but  crumbling  walls,  gnawed 
away  and  eaten  out  in  many  places  by  the 
destroying  tooth  of  time,  and  pressed  down 
by  the  leaden  foot  of  hundreds  of  years,  un- 
til they  are  no  longer  their  original  height. 
The  exterior  of  the  walls  is  richly  mantled 
with  ivy,  and    the  top  ornamented  with  an 


ISLE      OF      WIGHT.  31 

abundance  of  wall-flowers.  As  we  were  walk- 
ing along,  the  stones  would  loosen,  and  as  they 
crumbled  off,  rattle  down  amid  the  deep  thick- 
et of  tangled  and  thickly  matted  cypress  and 
jasmine  growing  within  the  walls  far  below. 
At  last  Ave  succeeded  in  gaining  the  top  of 
the  old  Saxon  tow^er,  where  we  could  look  out 
on  one  of  the  most  enchanting  landscapes 
spread  out  on  every  side  in  extensive  pano- 
ramic views.  My  eye  wandered  through  a 
leafy  opening  a  little  in  the  distance,  until  I 
caught  a  glimpse  of  the  silvery  lake  on  wdiose 
placid  bosom  Roman  galleys  reposed  in  olden 
times.  After  going  down  one  flight  of  steps 
after  another,  and  winding  around  through 
gloomy  passage  ways,  in  descending  from 
these  high  w^alls,  said  to  be  in  some  places 
eighteen  feet  in  thickness,  we  reached  the 
bottom,  where,  in  a  sequestered  nook,  we 
found  the  Dungeon  Well,  of  Roman  construc- 
tion, three  hundred  feet  deep,  now  nearly  fill- 
ed with  rubbish  and  stones.  In  another  place 
w^e  found  the  Garrison  Well,  of  great  interest, 
which  is  three  hundred  and  ten  feet  deep, 
with  an  inexhaustible  supply  of  pure  water, 
raised  in  an  immense  bucket  by  a  reflective 


32  LEAFLETS. 

donkey,  whose  name  is  John.  Castle  tradi- 
tion very  gravely  informed  us  that  this 
patient  John  Donkey  was  of  royal  ances- 
try, and  now  lilled  his  place  in  the  regular 
succession,  his  honorahle  predecessors  having 
faithfully  performed  the  same  duty  of  step- 
ping round  and  round  this  endless  wheel, 
one  for  forty  years,  and  another  forty-five. 
The  ladies  in  our  company  rewarded  his  toil 
by  feeding  him  bread  and  cakes,  which  he 
ate  from  their  hands. 

We  now  left  the  Castle,  and,  on  returning 
home,  we  passed  Prince  Albert's  model  farms, 
some  of  which  were  inclosed  with  brick  walls, 
others  by  beautifully  trimmed  hedges.  Their 
appearance,  as  far  as  we  could  see,  evinced  a 
high  state  of  cultivation.  The  great  attrac- 
tion of  the  Island  for  a  few  years  past  has 
been  the  Osborne  House,  the  sea-side  resi- 
dence of  Queen  Victoria,  wdiere  she  celebrates 
her  birth-day  in  the  quiet  of  her  family ; 
where  the  young  Princes  and  Princesses  each 
have  flower  and  vegetable  gardens,  and  green- 
houses and  tool  chests,  and  even  a  carpenter's 
shop.  The  young  Princes  are  encouraged  by 
the  noble  Prince  Consort  to  practice  garden- 


ISLE      OF      WIGHT.  33 

ing  and  farming.  The  Princesses  follow  the 
lovely  Queen  into  the  kitchen,  where  they 
pry  into  all  the  mysteries  of  cooking  and 
pastry,  floured  to  the  elbow^s  at  one  time,  at 
another  preserving  the  fruits  of  their  own 
garden,  to  be  eaten  on  the  royal  table,  or 
given  out  to  the  poor  of  the  neighborhood. 
Here  the  most  refined  and  exalted  tastes  are 
cultivated  ;  Nature  studied  in  all  its  depart- 
ments ;  and  specimens  of  rocks  and  flowers, 
and  birds  and  animals,  are  carefully  arranged 
in  their  museum;  and  not  only  studied,  but 
Nature,  in  all  its  diversity,  is  loved  and  ad- 
mired. In  a  word,  they  are  allowed  to  run 
wild  and  free,  not  unlike  other  happy  chil- 
dren, considering  it  no  condescension  to  roj^  al 
dignity  to  have  a  practical  knowledge  of  what 
labor  is.  It  is  asserted  that  the  royal  family 
are  never  happier  than  during  their  sojourn 
at  Osborne.  We  stopped  our  carriage  at 
the  entrance,  hoping  to  gain  access  to  the 
grounds,  if  not  to  the  Palace,  but  were  not 
allowed,  on  account  of  the  preparations  being 
made  for  the  coming  of  Her  Majesty  in  a  few 
days.  We  urged  the  venerable  porter,  telling 
him  Ave  were  from  America,  and  this  was  the 


34  LEAFLETS. 

only  opportunity  we  would  have  ;  but  the 
dear,  laithl'ul  old  man  assured  us  he  could  not 
allow  us  to  enter  if  half  of  the  kingdom  were 
given  hiui,  for  ])y  so  doing  he  would  forfeit 
his  post  of  honor.  He  was  very  kind,  and 
allowed  us  to  look  as  far  over  the  ground  as 
we  could,  and  gave  me  a  little  bouquet  and 
oftered  me  a  fuchsie  nicely  growing  in  a 
flower-pot,  which  I  was  obliged  to  refuse,  not 
being  al)le  to  care  for  it  during  my  journey. 
I  thought,  how  I  wish  I  could  send  it  to  some 
of  my  friends  as  a  royal  present.  We  thanked 
him  over  and  over  again  for  his  kindness,  and 
just  as  we  were  leaving  he  asked :  ''Do  you 
know  my  brother  in  America  by  the  name  of 
Smith,  and  living  in  a  place  called  Brazil  ?" 
We  assured  him  that  we  knew  several  by  that 
name  in  America,  but  we  were  sorry  to  say 
we  doubted  whether  or  no  they  were  any  of 
them  his  brother,  as  Brazil  was  in  South 
America,  a  great  many  miles  from  where  we 
lived  in  New  York,  which  was  in  North 
America.  He  looked  rather  disappointed,  and 
we  left.  Returning  to  our  hotel  about  six 
o'clock,  we  found  our  English  dinner  we 
had  ordered  before  leaving,  smoking  on  the 


ISLE      OF      WIGHT.  35 

table,  which  seemed  to  groan  under  the  weight 
of  abundance,  particularly  roast  beei'  and  plum 
pudding.  Without  these  it  would  have  failed 
to  be  genuine  English.  It  would  be  ridicu- 
lousW  superfluous  to  add  that  we  enjoyed  this 
dinner  under  the  circumstances— our  good 
landlord  and  lady  doing  all  in  their  power  to 
supply  all  our  wants,  being  exceedingly 
aftable  and  polite,  thanking  us  over  and  over 
as  they  removed  our  empty  plates,  and  even 
thanking  us  for  thanking  them.  Who  can  ever 
do  justice  in  describing  the  luxury  of  a  good 
English  bed,  and  a  large,  well-aired  room,  the 
first  night  after  an  ocean  voyaged 


3^ 


CHAPTER  lY. 

ISLE     OF     WICIIT     TO     LONDON. 

May  Vltli. — This  morning  we  sailed  from 
the  Isle  of  Wight  to  Southampton.  When 
about  fifteen  miles  on  our  way  we  stopped  to 
visit  the  Great  EaMern  as  she  lay  anchored 
in  the  stream.  She  is  magnificent,  and  her 
proportions  are  immense.  At  a  little  dis- 
tance her  masts  and  smoke-pipes  resemble  the 
spires  and  chinnieys  of  a  little  village.  As 
our  tiny  steamer  came  under  her  mountain 
sides,  where  we  could  look  along  her  length, 
twice  that  of  any  of  our  largest  steamers,  and 
with  a  height  towering  far  above  us,  we  gained 
some  idea  of  lier  tremendous  size.  Her  inte- 
rior arrangements  are  ample  and  elegant. 
We  continued  our  sail  for  five  miles,  when  we 
reached  Southampton,  where  we  took  a  car- 
riage and  went  inmicdiatelj^  to  the  depot, 
and    purchased    our    tickets    for    the    train 


TO      LONDON.  37 

leaving  for  London.  The  English  do  not 
check  baggage  as  we  do  in  America.  They 
weigh  it,  and  charge  by  the  pound  lor  trans- 
porting it.  Here  comes  in  the  advantage  of 
small  trunks.  As  we  had  three  or  lour  hours 
to  spend  in  Dr.  Watts'  native  town — he  whose 
memory  is  rendered  sacred  in  the  hearts  of 
thousands  by  his  psalms  and  hymns — we  be- 
gan to  contrive  the  best  way  to  enjoy  our- 
selves, and  see  the  most  before  the  cars  should 
leave.  We  would  not  have  time  to  visit  the 
Ibrest-embosomed  Netley  Abbey,  which  is  two 
miles  distant,  and  see  Southampton  too.  After 
walking  through  all  the  prominent  streets,  we 
very  fortunately  gained  permission  to  enter 
the  splendid  grounds  of  the  archdeacon,  who 
had  recently  been  chosen  bishop,  and  had 
left  to  enjoy  his  higher  honors.  The  taste  in 
which  the  gardens  and  grounds  are  arranged 
makes  them  exquisitely  beautiful.  The  build- 
ings are  plain  but  substantial,  and  all  the 
rooms  neatly  and  appropriately  furnished. 
The  walls  that  surround  the  grounds  are 
loaded  on  the  outside  wdth  ivy,  and  in  the  in- 
terior fruit  trees  of  all  kinds  are  trained  with 
great  care  and  skill,  which  were    in   bloom, 


38  I.  E  A  F  L  E  T  S  . 

filling  the  air  with  frngrance.  The  vegetable 
garden  gave  signs  of  i)lenty.  The  extensive 
hot-houses  were  filled  with  rich  and  choice 
exotics.  The  walks  are  spacious — the  lawn 
soft  and  green — the  venerable  shade-trees,  lux- 
uriant in  their  ibliage.  Oh!  thought  I,  what 
a  charming  retreat  for  study  and  reliection, 
awiiy  from  the  noise  and  bustle  of  the  world, 
amid  budding  spring  flowers  and  under  the 
graceful,  nodding  plumes  of  grand  old  elms. 
We  need  not  wonder  at  the  refinement  and 
ability  of  the  clergy  of  the  Established  Church 
while  England  provides  such  homes  for  her 
prelates. 

The  time  imperceptibly  glided  away,  and 
the  hour  had  arrived  for  the  train  to  leave. 
We  hastened  to  the  depot.  The  cars  were 
really  quite  a  curiosity  to  us,  so  unlike  the 
ones  we  have  at  home.  They  are  not  as  long 
as  ours,  but  with  doors  on  each  side  which 
admitted  us  into  little  apartments  with  two 
cushioned  seats  extending  the  width  of  the 
car,  calculated  to  accommodate  about  twelve 
persons,  ,who  must  sit  facing  each  other. 
There  are  several  classes  of  cars,  known  as 
first    class,  second,   third,  and  fourth.      The 


TO      LONDON.  39 


first  class  are  very  elegant,  with  seats  as  easy 
as  an  armed  chair  ;  the  second  about  the  same 
as  ours  in  style  ;  the  third  are  not  cushioned 
at  all ;  the  fourth  are  open  at  the  windows, 
or  rather  no  windows  at  all,  and  the  people 
who  ride  in  them  stand  huddled  in  like  the 
cattle  in  our  freight  cars.  We  had  purchased 
our  tickets  for  the  second  class,  which  we  en- 
tered as  we  saw  it  marked  on  the  outside. 
But  few,  except  the  very  wealthy,  ride  in  the 
first  class,  as  the  expense  is  nearly  double  ; 
and  none  but  the  poorer  class  ride  in  the 
third.  The  result  is,  the  second  class  cars 
are  usually  filled  with  ver}^  wholesome,  re- 
spectable people.  But  it  must  be  remembered 
the  English  always  say  ''going  by  rail,"  and 
''  taking  seats  in  the  coach."'  They  did  not  seem 
to  understand  us  when  we  said  ''•  we  were  going 
in  the  cars."  At  the  moment  we  were  taking 
our  seats  I  observed  a  man  who  looked  like  a 
living,  walking  skeleton,  attempting  to  enter  ; 
but  no  one  seemed  willing  to  have  a  sick  per- 
son in  the  apartment  they  occupied.  We  im- 
mediately invited  him  in  where  we  were,  and 
arranged  a  place  for  him  to  recline,  and  thus 
ride  comfortably.    He  seemed  very  grateful  for 


40  LEAFLETS. 

our  attenti(3n  to  him;  but,  oil !  how  piteously 
he  was  wasted  by  consumption,  and  the  lamp 
of  life  flickered  ^aintl3^  We  learned  from 
him  that  he  was  just  returning  from  a  long 
expedition  to  India,  with  a  cherished  hope  of 
dying  in  the  quiet  ol"  his  own  home,  at  the 
mention  of  which  his  sunken  eyes  kindled 
into  radiance.  What  will  not  wear}'  and 
wasted  nature  endure  that  those  we  love  may 
soothe  our  dying  pillow  ?  Poor  man  !  the  last 
we  saw  of  him  was  when  we  reached  the 
great  city.  I  trust  his  frail  bark  reached  the 
home-haven,  to  receive  once  more  the  smiles 
of  kindred  and  friends.  It  rained  nearly  all 
the  way  ;  but  as  the  train  did  not  run  rap- 
idly, it  gave  us  a  fine  opportunity  to  see  the 
country,  and  the  thatched-roofed  homes  of 
Merrie  England's  husbandry.  The  fields  were 
richly  ciirpeted  in  green,  and  venerable  trees 
adorned  them  everywhere.  We  could  see 
neatly  trimmed  hedges  running  in  all  direc- 
tions, at  one  time  in  curves,  then  in  straight 
lines,  and  again  crossing  each  other  in  every 
variety  of  angles,  interlacing  the  entire  coun- 
try in  a  perfect  net- work  of  beauty.  In  about 
three  hours  from  the  time  we  left  Southamp- 


TOLOXDOX.  41 

ton  we  reached  London,  the  great  metropolis 
of  the  world. 

We  immediately  selected  a  carriage  from 
the  lono-  line  that  bounded  one  side  of  the 
depot,  in  which  we  entered,  and  were  soon 
on  the  famous  London  Bridge,  which  spans 
the  lliver  Thames.  Here  our  eyes  began 
to  open  on  the  wonders  of  the  great  city 
we  had  just  entered.  This  extraordinary 
bridge  was  commenced  in  1825,  and  opened 
by  King  William  the  Fourth,  in  1831.  It 
cost  two  millions  sterling,  and  is  very  pon- 
derous in  its  construction,  being  built  of  huge 
blocks  of  granite,  supported  by  five  massive 
semi-eliptical  arches.  As  soon  as  our  car- 
riage drove  on  to  the  bridge,  I  observed  that 
the  road  through  the  centre  was  thronged 
with  a  variety  of  vehicles,  and  the  broad 
stone  sidewalk  teemed  with  a  walking  com- 
munity. Above  each  pier  are  niches,  with 
stone  seats,  where  the  weary  were  resting 
from  their  burdens ;  and  over  the  parapet, 
idlers  were  hanging  in  careless  indolence. 
On  reaching  the  centre  of  the  bridge,  the 
most  complete  world  in  miniature  appeared 
before  us.     A  forest  of  shipping  extended  on 


42  LEAFLETS. 

either  side  of  the  river,  and  through  the  cen- 
tre little  steamers  were  constantly  pulHng 
their  black  smoke,  having  their  decks  crowded 
with  people.  Through  the  thick,  murky  at- 
mosphere at  our  right,  I  at  once  recognized 
the  dome  of  St.  Paul's,  with  its  golden  ball 
and  gilded  cross,  as  it  loomed  up  in  grandeur; 
and  a  little  bevond  was  the  Tower  of  London, 
with  its  unmistakable  quartette  of  turrets. 
The  sky  was  entirely  obscured  by  the  im- 
penetrable vail  of  smoke  and  vapor,  which 
seemed  to  me  to  be  the  breath  of  invisible 
greatness  going  up  continually,  "filling  the  air 
and  darkening  heaven."  As  we  left  the 
bridge,  we  at  once  plunged  into  densely 
crowded  and  compact  streets,  alike  dingy  and 
gloomy.  We  ordered  our  coachman  to  take 
us  to  Queen  Ann's  Square,  Holborn,  which  he 
did,  and  as  we  stopped  before  No.  11,  and 
the  servant  came  to  the  door  to  answer  the 
ringing  of  the  bell,  I  could  but  observe  what 
was  to  me  a  mysterious  chain  across  the  door- 
way, behind  which  he  stood.  It  was  re- 
moved, as  we  approached,  to  allow  us  to  pTiss, 
and  immediately  replaced,  while  the  door  re- 
mained open.     ''  Can  I  see  the  lady  of  the 


TOLOXDON.  43 

boardino:-house  V  said    Mr.  N .     I  stood 

beside  him,  not  daring  to  move  in  such  a 
gloomy  place — having  my  eyes  fixed  ^on  the 
chain  across  the  door,  thinking  what  it  could 
be  intended  for.  It  was  only  a  moment,  when 
a  tall  old  lady  marched  into  the  hall,  dressed 
in  black,  and  wearing  a  widow's  cap.  Ad- 
dressing her  as  Mrs.  M ,  to  which  she  as- 
sented, we  informed  her  that  we  wished 
rooms.  After  asking  us  by  whom  we  were 
recommended,  and  receiving  our  card,  given 

to  us  by  Dr.  A ,  of  New  York,  "  I  can  take 

you  m,"  said  she,  and  stepping  to  the  door 
ordered  our  baggage  to  be  brought  in,  and 
closed  after  it  the  heavy  door.  The  old  lady 
then  called  at  the  top  of  her  voice,  ''  Mar-ga- 
ret — Mar-ga-ret ;"  a  little  Scotch  girl  in- 
stantly answered  the  call,  and  was  commanded 
to  show  us  our  rooms. 

It  was  nearly  dark,  and  I,  being  tired,  stag- 
gered and  stumbled  along  up  the  first  flight 
of  stairs  ;  and,  turning  to  go  up  the  next,  I 
suddenly  came  ni  contact  with  a  tall,  old-fash- 
ioned clock,  whose  slender  mahogany  frame 
reached  from  the  floor  nearly  to  the  ceiling, 
and  the  only  apology  I  could  exact  for  its  be- 


44  LEAFLETS. 

ing  in  my  way,  as  I  looked  up  into  its  face, 
was  ''tick,  tack;  tick,  tack."  On  the  third 
floor  we  entered  our  rooms,  into  which  our 
trunks  had  ])receded  us.  I  looked  around  for 
a  moment  in   perfect  amazement,  and  then 

asked  Mr.  N if  he  thouglit  this  was  the 

usual  style  of  English  boarding-houses,  or  if 
he  supposed  they  were  cleaning  house  and  had 
given  us  the  wrong  room  ?  No  carpet  on  the 
flooi' — not  even  painted.  The  bureau  and 
chairs  made  us  think  of  Queen  Anne's  time, 
whose  statue  we  had  observed  in  a  little  park 
in  front  of  the  house  ;  but,  with  increased  as- 
tonishment, I  turned  and  looked  at  the  great 
mountain  of  feathers  towering  nearly  to  the 
ceiling,  resting  upon  an  old-fashioned  high- 
post  bedstead,  with  a  drab-colored  frill  flutter- 
ing, like  sombre  clouds  of  Autumn,  above  and 
around  the  top.  I  looked  around  to  see  the 
ladder  we  were  to  use  to  climb  up  into  bed. 
We  were  relieved  in  a  few  moments  by  the 
ringing  of  the  tea-bell.  On  the  first  fioor  we 
were  shown  to  the  dining-room,  where  we 
found  a  table  reaching  nearly  the  length  of 
the  room,  around  which  several  boarders  were 
already  seated.     The  old  lady  we  had  met  at 


TO      LONDON.  45 

the  door  sat  very  erect  at  the  head  of  the  ta- 
ble ;  and,  as  soon  as  we  had  taken  our  seats, 
she  rapidly  pronounced  the  blessing.  The 
table  was  covered  with  a  dark  brocatelle  cloth, 
with  little  blue  plates — just  exactly  like  some 
my  mother  has  that  must  have  been  her  grand- 
mother's— without  a  knife  or  fork,  which 
would  have  been  of  no  use,  for  the  bread, 
which  was  cut  in  very  thin  slices,  was  already 
buttered  ;  two  glass  bottles  of  water,  and  a 
few  tumblers,  were  all  that  was  on  the  table, 
except  the  tea-service  at  the  head  of  the  ta- 
ble, which  consisted  of  a  few  little  China  cups 
and  saucers,  a  sugar  bowl  and  milk  cup,  and 
a  little  box  of  tea,  which  the  old  lady  in  black 
took  a  key  from  her  pocket  and  unlocked, 
and,  taking  from  it  some  tea,  put  it  into  a 
small  Britannia  tea-pot ;  and  after  pouring 
hot  water  on  it  from  a  large  copper  kettle 
standing  near  her,  poured  the  carefully 
made  tea  into  cups,  which  she  passed  around. 
As  I  never  drink  tea,  it  did  not  take  me  long  to 
eat  my  buttered  bread.  Having  no  other  oc- 
casion for  staying  at  the  table  longer,  I  hast- 
ened back  to  my  room  to  spend  this  gloomy 
twilight  hour  in  meditating  on  English  board- 


40  LEAFLETS. 

iiig-liouses.  On  reaching  my  room,  and  open- 
ing the  door,  I  stepped  back  in  sm'prise  to 
find  such  a  change !  I  had  only  been  absent 
a  few  moments.  Had  I  entered  the  wrong- 
room,  or  had  fairies  been  at  phiy  here,  thought 
I?  A  nice  carpet  now  covered  the  lioor, 
snowy  curtains  shaded  the  window,  and  the 
toilet  and  bureau  were  covered  with  white 
napkins ;  tleecy  white  curtains  now  hovered 
over  what  seemed  to  me  mostly  to  resemble 
Mont  Blanc.  What  a  change  had  come  over 
the  spirit  of  our  dreams!  At  nine  in  the 
evening,  we  were  again  sunnnoned  into  the 
dining-room  to  attend  prayers  and  eat  supper. 
Mrs.  M read  a  chapter  from  the  Testa- 
ment, and,  after  many  of  us  had  kneeled,  we 
tried  our  best  to  unite  with  her  as  she  read 
rapidly  a  prayer  from  a  book  she  held  in  her 
hand.  The  supper  was  more  abundant  than 
our  tea  at  six  o'clock.  We  retired,  weary  and 
worn,  to  sleep  our  first  night  in  London. 


CHAPTER    Y. 

BRITISH     MUSEUM     AND    ST.    PAUL'S. 

May  im. 
We  indulge  a  "forlorn  hope"   this  morn- 
iiio-  —  notwithstanding  it    still  rains,  as   we 
are    informed    it    has    already    rained    two 
^yeeks — that  the  clearing-off  shower  will  soon 
come.     The  world-renowned  British  Museum 
is  not  fLir  from  where  we  are  stopping,  and  we 
anticipate  it  as  a  glorious  retreat  for  all  rainy 
days,  provided  it  does  not  rain  every  day  for 
two  more  weeks  to  come.    We  were  informed 
that  the  Museum  opened  at  10  o'clock,  and  off 
we  started  in  the  rain,  and  soon  we  found  it 
in  Great  Russell  Street.     It  is  an  extensive 
building,  covering  more  than  seven  acres;  the 
ornamental  gates  and  fence  which  incloses  the 
court-yard,  also  the  front  porticos,  are   very 
hnposing.     We  remained  there  nearly  all  day, 
and  still  what  a  world  of  wonders,  what  an 
eternity  of  curiosities  we   left   without   ex- 


48  LEAFLETS. 

amining,  and  which  it  we^e  impossible  to  look 
at  in  one  day.  In  tlie  lirst  room  we  entered 
we  found  only  fragments  of  art,  made  up 
of  armless  and  legless  figures  of  heathen 
divinities ;  headless  horses,  and  eagles  with- 
out wings;  hands  detached  from  the  arm, 
and  heads  of  men,  women  and  children,  broken 
off ;  broken  down  altars,  crumbling  foun- 
tains, richly  tinted  columns  and  carved  capitals 
of  almost  every  style  of  architecture.  How 
desperately  art  must  have  struggled  with  ruin 
and  time  to  have  thus  gloriously  triumphed 
over  mutilation;  and  after  so  many  years  the 
hand  of  man  has  placed  here  such  grand  frag- 
mentary relics  of  sculpture  and  architectural 
decorations,  to  be  admired  by  thousands.  In 
another  apartment  we  spent  s(nne  time  in 
examining  manuscripts  of  great  value,  and 
autographs,  the  sight  of  which  awakened  a 
strange  veneration  toward  the  soul,  that  still 
sneemed  to  breathe  in  the  hand-writing  of 
Shakespeare,  Sir  Walter  Scott,  Mary  Queen  of 
Scots,  Queen  Elizabeth,  and  Lad}^  Jane  Gray, 
a  brilliant  galaxy,  formed  with  the  names 
written  by  their  own  hands,  as  if  to  prove 
they   lived,   and    that    the    record  of  their 


BRITISH      MUSEUM.  49 

fame  is  true.  Here  are  names  of  kings  and 
queens,  philosophers,  statesmen,  poets,  artists, 
and  divines.  In  another  room,  or  compart- 
ment, we  saw  the  marble  heads  of  Julius 
Csesar,  Agustus  Tiberius  and  Nero,  Minerva, 
and  Diana,  the  sister  of  Apollo,  Venus  and 
Juno,  also  Pericles,  Demosthenes,  Homer, 
Hippocrates,  and  scores  of  others,  that  were 
sculptured,  it  is  said,  in  the  second  century 
after  Christ.  The  Elgin  rooms,  named  after 
Earl  Elgin,  consist  principally  of  sculpture 
and  inscriptions  from  Athens.  The  most  in- 
teresting series  of  groups  are  those  taken  from 
the  eastern  and  western  pediments  of  the  Par- 
thenon, or  Temple  of  Minerva,  at  Athens.  In 
other  rooms,  minerology,  geology  and  zoology, 
are  all  extensively  represented.  The  finest 
and  best  specimens  of  rare  beasts  and  birds, 
reptiles  and  fishes  that  are  found,  are  arranged 
in  the  wall  cases.  Every  variety  of  shells, 
corals,  and  insects,  fill  a  series  of  table-cases 
in  the  centre  of  the  rooms.  Having  thus 
caught  a  glimpse  of  the  wonders  deposited 
in  this  immense  building,  we  will  not  become 
gloomy,  after  being  thus  entertained,  even 
on  rainy  days. 


50  L  E  A  F  L  E  T  S  . 

London^  Mdn  V^th. — We  commenced  this 
morning  in  good  earnest  our  chase  after  the 
^'  jiritish  Lions."  The  evening,  I  assure  you, 
finds  us  quite  chased  down  by  them.  To-day 
we  have  seen  the  Royal  Exchange,  the  Bank 
of  Enghmd,  and  St.  Paul's ;  besides  this,  for 
some  hours  we  dashed  along  in  a  Hansom,  (a 
curious  vehicle  1  will  some  time  describe  to 
you,)  through  many  of  the  mighty  arteries, 
and  some  of  the  smaller  veins,  of  this  great 
metropolis  of  the  Avorld.  Again,  at  one  time 
we  attempted  to  thread  our  way  on  foot  along 
the  nerves  and  sinews,  when,  alas,  we  found 
ourselves  crowded,  thronged  and  pressed  for- 
ward by  an  immense  rushing,  gushing  stream 
of  human  beings,  that  come  unceasingly — 
pouring  down  the  pavements  and  side-walks 
of  every  street,  lane  and  alley.  I  gazed  with 
more  awe  and  wonder  on  this  great  multitude, 
which  it  appeared  to  me  "no  man  could  num- 
ber," than  when  I  looked  for  the  first  time  on 
the  awful  grandeur  of  Niagara.  Some  uplift- 
ed imploring  eyes  and  hands  to  us  ;  some  were 
lounging  carelessly  and  indifferently;  some 
plodding  along  industriously;  some  seemed  to 
be    Hying,   others  whirling,  all  through  the 


BRITISH      MUSEUM.  51 

short  and  varying  cycles  of  time,  to  plunge 
at  last  into  the  long,  unending,  and  unknown 
cycles  of  eternity. 

The  Royal  Exchange  may  very  truthfully 
he  called  the  eye  of  London;  the  building  is 
quadrangle  in  form,  with  a  grand  colonnade. 
It  seemed  to  me  one  immense  modern  Bahel, 
systematized  into  perfect  harmony.  Hundreds 
of  foreign  merchants  gather  here,  from  all 
parts  of  the  earth,  to  transact  business.  I 
stood  a  moment  and  watched  them  as  they 
were  passing  in  and  out,  and  found  it  exceed- 
ingly amusing  and  interesting  to  study  their 
peculiar  manners  and  picturesque  costumes. 
The  Bank  of  England  is  situated  on  Thread- 
needle  Street;  it  is  a  superbly  constructed 
block  of  one  story  buildings,  somewhat  irregu- 
lar, and  covering  four  acres.  The  area  in 
the  centre  is  beautifully  ornamented  with 
trees  and  shrubs;  the  arrangement  of  every 
department  of  the  interior  seems  perfectly 
adapted  to  facilitate  business;  eight  hundred 
clerks  are  constantly  employed. 

But  when  we  refer  you  to  St.  Paul's  Cathe- 
dral, we  exclaim,  in  the  ardor  of  our  enthu- 
siasm, ''the  heavens  above   for  height,   and 


52  LEAFLETS. 


the  earth  beneath  for  depth."  Thus  does 
St.  Paul's  of  London  excel  in  grandeur  of 
lofty  proportions,  and  l)eauty  of  architectural 
design,  any  thing  1  have  ever  seen;  I  stiirtle 
now  when  I  recall  its  immensity.  What  a 
magnihcent  and  gigantic  monument!  wisely 
designed,  and  gloriously  beautified  by  man's 
superior  genius,  and  reared  by  his  strong 
arm. 

The  exterior  is  a  good  deal  blackened  by 
the  smoke  of  at  least  two  centuries,  giving  it 
a  venerable  air  as  it  towers  up  proudly  above 
the  loftiest  building  in  London.  The  mate- 
rial of  which  it  is  constructed  is  the  best  Port- 
land stone,  and  decorated  with  several  colos- 
sal jBgures  of  the  Apostles.  The  grand  entrance 
is  reached  by  twenty -two  black  marble  steps, 
under  a  double  portico,  supported  by  columns 
of  the  Corinthian  and  Composite  orders,  above 
which  are  the  clock  and  belfry  towers,  giving 
the  entire  exterior  a  most  imposing  ap- 
pearance. 

I  had  supposed,  by  descriptions  I  have 
read,  to  find  the  interior  damp  and  cold,  and 
in  the  last  degree  dismal — the  frescos  be- 
grimed with  mold,   the  statuary  dingy,  and 


BRITISH      MUSEUM.  5S 

every  thing  within  far  from  being  attractive. 
Quite  to  the  contrary  ;  a  few  years  past  has 
lent  cheerful  sunbeams,  which   have  pierced 
the  gloom,  removed  the  mold,  and  recovered 
the  l)cauty  of  the  marble,  and  withal  diffused 
a  pure  atmosphere.     In  taking  a  circuit  of  the 
vast  interior,  I  counted  at  least  fifty  elegant 
monuments,  nearly  every  one  of  them  erected 
to   military   heroes,    which,    notwithstanding 
their  ela])orate  designs,  seemed  inappropriate 
to  that  sacred  place.     The  floors  are  inlaid  in 
squares  of  black  and  white  marble,  the  centre 
forming  a  complete  mariner's  compass,  show- 
ing the  thirty-two  points ;   the  central  one,  a 
large  brass  plate,  from  which  radiates  three 
circles,  the  largest  just  the  size  of  the  dome. 
As  I  stood  within  this  circle  of  circles,  my  eye 
wandered  upward  and  upward  through  what 
seemed  to  me  an  infinite  maze  of  arches  and 
pillars,  which  encircled  the  dome,  and  for  a 
moment  I  was  well  nigh  lost  to  every  thing 
but    grandeur.     Again,    looking    below    and 
around  me,  I  became  imbued  with  a  strange, 
sweet  ecstacy,  which  made  me  feel  that  the}^ 
who  worship  in  this  holy  and  beautiful  temple, 
must,  in  their  devotions,  be  far  removed  from 


54  LEAFLETS. 

all  common-pLice  ideas  of  this  life,  to  the 
splendors  of  that  eternal  Temple  in  the  skies 
"  whose  builder  and  maker  is  God."  We  as- 
cended six  hundred  and  sixteen  steps  to  reach 
the  golden  ball,  which,  from  the  pavement  in 
the  street,  looks  very  small ;  but  on  reaching 
it  we  found  it  measured  six  leet  in  diameter, 
and  large  enough  to  hold  twelve  persons,  very 
uncomfortably,  however.  It  weighs  five  thou- 
sand six  hundred  pounds.  Thirty  feet  above 
this,  heavenward,  stands  a  gilded  emblem  of 
ChrLstian  faith,  resting  on  the  ball,  with  a 
weight  of  three  thousand  three  hundred  and 
sixty  pounds.  Three  of  our  little  company 
only  persevered  until  we  reached  the  ball, 
where  we  triumphed  a  few  moments  together 
in  thus  being  able,  with  almost  exhausted 
physical  energies,  to  join  companionship  with 
the  higher  regions — our  tired  limbs  at  the 
same  time  crying  out  bitterly  against  our 
resolute  wills,  tantalizing  us  with  the  truth 
that  it  was  but  little,  alter  all,  to  have  it 
said  we  had  entered  the  ball  of  St.  Paul's, 
which  was  only  dark,  and  afforded  us  no  view 
at  all.  Just  below  this  we  looked  over  the 
parapet  down   into   the   streets,   which  from 


BRITISH     MUSEUM.  55 

this  giddy  heightof  over  three  hundred  and 
fifty  feet  resembled  narrow  pathways  swarm- 
ing wdth  Liliputiati  men,  women,  and  children 
busily  at  work  as  little  bees,  depositing  treas- 
ures  in   hiuises  which  looked  like  tiny  cells. 
A  cloud  of  smoke,  that  forever  hangs  over  the 
city  like  a  gloomy  pall,  prevented  our  seeing 
lar  around  or  aljove  us.     If  I  say  more,  I  fear 
you  will  imagine  that  I  intend  to  exhaust  all 
mv  adjectives  on  one  grand   pile  of  stone  in 
London ;  but  the  fact  is,  I  have  only  one  no- 
bler, loftier,  grander  and  more  sublime  ideal 
of  stone  piled  up  into  the  form  of  a  building, 
and    that   is    St.    Peter's    at   Rome,  beneath 
"  Italia's   sunny  sky."     On  our  return   from 
the  ball,  we  entered  the  whispering  gallery, 
which  is  ^vorthy  of  a  record — where  a  word 
spoken  in  the  lowest  tones  can  be  heard  one 
hundred  and  forty  feet  as  plainly  as  if  spoken 
close  to  the  ear.    The  closing  of  a  door  sounds 
like  the   discharge   of  artillery.      The  great 
bell,  ten  feet  in  diameter,  and  weighing  over 
eleven  thousand  pounds  ;  the  clock,  with  its 
two  laces,  each  fifty-seven  feet  in  cij-cumfer- 
ence,  with  hands  ten  feet  long  ;  the  extraor- 
dinary flooring  of  the  library,  containing  at 
i  5 


56  LEAFLETS. 

least  two  thousand  three  hundred  j)ieces  (^f 
oak,  inlaid  without  a  nail ;  the  seven  thousand 
volumes  piled  on  the  shelves  ;  the  oldest  Com- 
mon Prayer-Book,  and  scores  of  olden  manu- 
scripts, are  all  of  thrilling  interest.  vStill,  I  can 
not  leave  you  until  we  descend  into  the  crypt, 
where  the  fading  wreaths  of  honor,  and  men's 
glory,  are  i'aintly  seen  by  here  and  theie  a  ray 
of  light  from  darkened  windows,  or  a  few^ 
flickering  lamps.  But,  oh!  to  be  buried  under 
this  grand  old  dome.  What  a  grave  !  Hei*e  is 
a  sarcophagus  of  black  marble,  surmounted  by 
a  cushiim  and  coronet.  On  the  pedestal  is 
this  brief  inscription,  ''  Horatio  Viscount  Nel- 
son." Only  a  few  steps  from  this,  undei-  the 
same  d(»me,  in  stately  niagnificence,  is  the 
vsplendid  sarcophagus  of  the  ''  Iron  Duke," 
whose  proud  coffin  bears  the  follownng  jiomp- 
ous  inscription  : 

■'  The  Most  High,  MiLrhty  and  Most  Noble  Prince  Arthur.  Duke 
and  Marquis  of  Wellington.  Marquis  of  Druro,  Karl  of  Wellington. 
Viscount  Wellington  of  Tahvera  and  of  Wellington,  and  Baron 
Druro  of  Wellesley,  Knight  of  the  Most  Noble  Order  of  the  (rarter. 
Knight  Grand  Cross  of  the  Most  Honorable  Order  of  the  Bath,  one 
of  Her  Majesty's  Most  Honorable  Privy  Council,  and  Field  Marshal 
and  Commander-in-Chief  of  Her  Majesty's  Forces,  bnrn  1st  if  May. 
1769:  died  14th  September.  1852.'" 

At  the    present  day,  England  is  wont   to 


BRITISH      MUSEUM.  57 

speak  of  the  power,  influence  and  glory  of  the 
great  Duke  of  Wellington,  as  the  highest  ever    ,|y^ 
reached  by  mortal  man— eclipsing  C^sar,  and     jH 
all  of  Roman  fame.     His  dust  reposes  within      ^fff 
four  coffins,  inclosed  in  a  splendid  sarcopha- 
gus, the  inner  one  made  of  pine,  by  the  Duke's 
own  x^arpenter ;  the  next  oi'   lead,  twice  the 
usual  thickness  ;  the   third   of  English  oak  ; 
the   outej-  one    of   solid   mahogany,  covered 
with  crimson  velvet,  from  Genoa,  decorated 
with  silver  devices,  significant  of  his  ducal 
honors.     Thus,  side  by  side,  sleep  in  death, 
two  heroes,   under  a  grand  and  lofty  dome, 
towering  up  toward  heaven — the  bravest  and 
greatest  field  and  naval  officers  of  which  Eng- 
land is  proud  to  boast ! 


ClJAr'J'KR  YI. 

FinsT    SA.r'.PATH     IN     LO  N  DON  —  W  KSl,  I!  Y 'S    GRAVI'— WEST- 
MINSTER    ABBEY. 

Mmj  20!h. 
OcR  first  Sabbath  morning  in  London 
ibund  U8  in  Exeter  Hall,  by  paying  one  shil- 
ling each  (equal  to  twenty-five  cents  Amer- 
ican money).  We  were  admitted  through 
a  2^rivate  entrance,  and  in  this  w^ay  secured 
good  seats.  When  all  the  doors  were  open  the 
hundreds  that  were  in  w\aiting  rushed  in,  un- 
til the  inmiense  Hall  was  crowded  with  at 
least  three  or  four  thousand  people,  and  a 
perfect  sea  of  upturned  faces  greeted  Mr. 
Spurgeon  as  he  made  his  appearance  on  the 
stage,  whiciv  f^ei'ved  as  a  pulpit,  and  com- 
menced service  by  reading  a  hjann  with  very 
fine  cflect ;  the  w^hole  congregation  arose  and 
united  in  the  singing.  He  then  read  and  ex- 
plained a  chapter  in  the  Bil)le,  after  which 
he  prayed  fervently,  and  preached  from  these 
words  :  "  For  Thou  hast  cast  all  my  sins  be- 


FIRST      SABBATH      IN      LONDON.  o9 

hind  liiy  back."  The  sermon  glowed  with 
zeal,  energy  and  spiritual  life.  His  voice  is 
as  clear  as  the  lute  of  an  angel,  and  the  en- 
gi'avings  we  see  of  him  give  us  a  very  correct 
idea  of  his  personal  appearance.  In  St. 
James'  Hall,  at  six  o'clock  P.M.,  we  listened 
to  the  celebrated  Wesley  an  Methodist  preach- 
er, Mr.  Funshon.  The  hall  is  large,  and  it 
was  crowded  to  overtlowing.  When  the  con- 
gregation arose  and  commenced  singing 
'•  Jesus,  lover  of  rny  soul,"  a  sweet  home-feel- 
ing thrilled  my  spiiit,  kindling  anew  the 
spiritual  fire  on  the  altar  of  my  heart,  prov- 
ing that  the  hallowed  influence  of  devotion 
is  the  same  the  world  over. 

Mr.  Funshon  differs  decidedly  in  personal 
appearance  from  Mr.  Spurgeon.  They  are 
both  pure  and  genuine  Englishmen  ;  but  Pun- 
shon's  voice  is  neither  clear  nor  musical ;  still, 
he  excels  Spurgeon  in  eloquence  and  style  of 
oratory.  They  are  both  in  the  piime  and 
vigor  of  manhood ;  and,  thus  far,  their  brilliant 
career  has  seldom,  if  ever,  been  equaled  in 
Great  Britain.  They  are  both  gifted  with  a 
kind  of  magnetic  power,  which  attracts  or 
draws  the    multitude  after  them.     Wherein 


60  LEAFLETS. 

their  great  strength  lies  I  could  not  exactly 
divine.  I  imagine  not  so  much  in  what  they 
say,  as  how  they  say  it. 

How  I  wish  you  could  have  been  with 
nie  to-day,  as  we  stood  by  the  grave  of  the 
eminent  John  Wesley.  He  is  buried  in  the 
rear  of  the  edifice  known  as  City  Road 
Chapel.  On  the  1st  of  April,  1777,  he  laid 
the  corner-stone  of  this  grand  old  cathedral 
of  Methodism.  His  name,  and  the  date,  were 
engraved  on  a  brass  plate  inserted  in  the 
stone,  and  on  that  occasion  he  said,  ''  Proba- 
bly this  will  be  seen  no  more  by  human  eye, 
but  will  remain  there  till  the  earth,  and  the 
works  thereof,  are  burnt  up."  It  is  a  well- 
constructed  building,  showing,  as  yet,  no  signs 
of  decay  ;  and  if  it  is  guarded  in  future  as  it 
has  been  in  the  past,  by  the  devoted  followers 
of  this  Apostle  of  Methodism,  it  may  not 
crumble  into  ruins  before  the  great  "  war  of 
elements,  the  wreck  of  matter  and  the  crash 
of  worlds."  A  chaste  and  appropriate  monu- 
ment has,  within  a  few  years,  been  erected 
over  the  spot  where  he  quietly  and  peacefully 
sleeps,  on  the  front  of  which  is  the  following 
im^cription  : 


GRAVE      OF      WESLEY.  61 

THIS  GRATEFUL  RECORD 

OF     THE     PLACE     JIADE     SACRED     BY     THE 

MORTAL  REMAINS 

OF   THE    VENERABLE    AND    APOSTOLIC 

WESLEY, 

Was  first  erected  A.  D.  MDCCCL 

But  re-edified  and  enlarged  A.  D.  MDCCCXI. 

(During-    the    Centenary    of    Methodism). 

At  the  expense,  and  under  direction  of 

HIS   SONS    AND   SUCCESSORS   IN   THE    CIIRISTIAX    MINISTRY, 

THE  METHODIST  CONFERENCE, 

IN   TOKEN    OF 

Their  filial  admiration,  reverence  and  love, 

TO    THE    MEMORY    OF 

THE      VENERABLE      JOHN      WESLEY,    A.M., 

LATE    FELLOW    OF    LINCOLN    COLLEGE,    OXFORD. 

This  great  Light  arose, 
(By  the   singular  providence  of  God), 

TO  ENLIGHTEN  THESE  NATIONS, 

And  to  revive,  enforce  and  defend 

THE    PURE    APOSTOLIC    DOCTRINES   AND   PRACTICES   OF 

THE     PRIMITIVE     CHURCH, 
Which  he  continued  to  do  both  by  his  writings  and  labours 

FOR      MORE      THAN      HALF     A     CENTURY; 

And,  to  his  inexpressible  joy. 

Not  only  beheld  their  infiuonce  extending, 

And  their  efficacy  witnessed. 

In  THE  Hearts  and  Lives  of  Many  Thousands, 

As   well  in  the  Western   world    as  in   these    Kingdoms, 

But.  also,  far  above  all  human  power  or  expectation, 

Lived    to  see  provision   made    by    the    singular  Grace    of    God, 

For  their  continuance  and  establislimeut 

TO      THE      J0"%    OF      FUTURE      GENERATIONS. 

Reader,  if  thou  art  constrained  to  bless  the  instrument, 
GIVE    GOD    THE    GLORY. 
After  having  languished  a  few  days,  he  at  length  finished  his  course 
and  life  together!  gloriously  triumphant  over  Death, 
and  died  March  2d,  HDl,  in  the  eighty- 
eighth  year  of  his  age. 


62  LEAFLETS. 

Such  a  record  must  strike  every  one  as  an 
impressive  and  truthful  epitome  of  his  long 
course  of  devotedness  to  God  and  the  Church, 
and  of  the  triumphant  closing  scenes  of  his 
life.  To  stand  by  the  grave  of  one  hallowed 
in  memory  from  the  earliest  dawn  of  my 
recollections,  was  indeed  a  sacred  pleasure. 
The  next  grave,  by  his  side,  is  that  of  Adam 
Clarke,  the  greatest  of  Bible  commentators, 
and  on  the  tablet  erected  to  his  memory  is 
this  brief  inscription: 

SACRED 

TO    THE    MEMORY    OF 

ADAM   CLARKE,  LL.D.,  F.  S.   A.. 

Who  rested  iroin  hi.s  labors. 

Aagiu>t  2m,  1S32. 

AGED      72      YEARS. 

Thus  in  holy,  as  well  as  loving  fraternity, 
repose  these  two  great  and  eminently  good 
men  of  God — who,  during  their  lives  tuned 
harps  we  but  faintly  touch;  but  who,  no  doubt, 
are  now  striking  harps  of  gold,  in  the  most 
exalting  strains  of  harmony  and  love,  around 
the  throne  of  God  in  heaven.  In  the  same 
grounds  we  also  stood  beside  the  grave  of 
Joseph  Benson  and  Robeit  Watson,  and  from 


GRAVE      OF      WESLEY.  63 

each  I  plucked  some  leaves  and  grasses,  as 
mementoes.  We  were  kindly  invited  to  take 
tea  Avitli  the  Rev.  Mr.  Wilson  and  lady,  alter 
which,  in  the  evening,  we  attended  a  mission- 
ary anniversary  at  the  City  lload  Chapel, 
where  we  saw  the  Wesleyan  ministry  well 
represented,  on  a  stage  erected  for  the  occa- 
sion. The  Rev.  Mr.  Waddy,  the  president  of 
the  Wesleyan  Conference,  presided,  and  com- 
menced the  exercises  with  a  charming  little 
speech.  Mr.  Pimshon  was  evidently  antici- 
pated to  be  the  lion  of  the  evening,  for  as  he 
entered  whilst  another  was  speaking,  the  au- 
dience began  to  cheer  vehemently;  the  speak- 
er inferred  that  the  applause  was  intended  for 
himself,  and  seemed  to  catch  fresh  inspiration, 
which    all    must    have    observed    was    very 

much  dampened   when   he    saw  Mr.   P 

take  a  seat  on  the  stand  near  him.  It  soon, 
however,  became  his  turn  to  speak,  when  the 
audience  re2:aled  him  with  a  shower  of  "  hear ! 
hear!  hear!"  the  English  manner  of  applaud- 
ing, and  which  he  repaid  by  a  splendid 
efibrt,  sparkling  with  the  true  genius  ol'  the 
man. 

A  few  moments'  walk  brought  us  standing 


64  LEAFLETS. 

before  Westminster  Abbey,  gazing  intenth' 
upon  its  gorgeous  exterior,  which  we  found 
turreted,  arched,  fretted,  spired  and  pinna- 
cled, until  the  vast  whole  seemed  like  an 
elegant  piece  of  rich  embroidery,  interwoven 
into  fine  meshes  of  lace- work  by  the  fingers 
of  angels,  so  aerial,  delicate  and  fairy-like, 
yet  vast  and  grand,  in  all  its  loity  propor- 
tions. It  is  soiled  and  blackened  by  the 
dust  of  hundreds  of  years,  seeming  only 
to  prove  the  genuineness  of  the  endless  com- 
bination of  beauty  and  grace  that  every- 
where adorn  its  Gothic  sides.  We  were  about 
to  enter,  but  were  informed  that  the  fune- 
ral of  Sir  Charles  Bariv,  the  cele])rated 
architect,  was  to  take  place  in  about  an 
hour,  and  no  one  could  be  allowed  to  enter 
until  the  procession  had  arrived,  and  already 
the  crowd  was  gathering  thickly  at  each  en- 
trance. From  our  position  we  had  a  fine 
view  of  the  new  Houses  oi  Parliament,  ex- 
tending exactly  opposite  to  us,  producing  a 
striking  contrast,  in  all  the  freshness  of  their 
"latter  day  glory,"  to  the  r)egrimed  palace  of 
tombs,  loaded  with  the  weight  of  centuries, 
against  which  we  were  leaning.    The  style  in 


W  E  S  T  M  I  N  S  T  E  R      A  B  R  E  Y  .  65 

which  these  houses  are  built  is  difficult,  ii  not 
impossible,  to  describe,  or  to  characterize  by 
a  generic  name ;  some  say  it  is  Tudor,  or  very 
nearly  approaching  it,  while  others  call  it 
Gothic.  It  is  very  evident  that  the  architect 
intended  to  avoid  ecclesiastical,  collegiate 
and  castellated  styles,  as  entirely  inappropri- 
ate to  such  buildings.  It  is  said  Sir  Charles 
Barry,  the  architect,  called  the  style  Palatial — 
he  whose  funeral  procession  we  were  expect- 
ing so(m  to  see  pass  mournfully  under  the 
very  shadow^  of  this  wonderful  monument  of 
his  genius.  The  clock,  and  Victoria  towers, 
are  both  over  three  hundred  feet  high,  the 
central  dome  is  nearly  the  same  height.  The 
front  of  the  building  facing  the  Thames  is  one 
thousand  feet  in  length,  in  the  centre  of  it  is 
the  river  terrace,  which  is  seven  hundred  feet 
in  extent,  from  which  is  gained  one  of  the  finest 
views  in  Lrmdon.  This  magnificent  facade  is 
divided  into  five  compartments,  paneled  with 
tracery,  and  decorated  with  the  statues  and 
shields  of  England's  kings  and  queens.  In  de- 
sign and  beauty  of  decoration  in  the  entire  ex- 
terior, I  think  I  never  saw  greater  harmony. 
At  the  time  appointed  for  the  funeral  the 


66  LEAFLETS. 

vast  crowd  began  to  separate  to  the  right  and 
the  left ;  and  iirst  passed  the  hearse,  rich  in 
its  heavy  black,  drawn  by  splendid  horses, 
who  curved  their  slender,  graceful  necks  be- 
neath the  mourning  drapery,  hanging  to 
the  ground,  followed  by  fifty  elegant  car- 
riaa'es,  and  hundreds  of  intellicrent  lookinor 
men,  who  passed,  two  by  two,  Avilh  badges  of 
crape  on  the  arm.  They  were  members  of 
his  great  family  of  architects,  at  whose  head 
he  had  stood  first  for  so  many  years.  We  ap- 
preciated this  unexpected  privilege  to  attend 
the  funeral  of  such  a  great  man,  one  exalted 
in  the  hearts  and  homes  of  the  nation,  and 
then  to  see  his  new-made  grave  beside  those 
who  have  been  slumbering  for  hundreds  of 
years  in  this  olden  earth,  and  sheltered  so 
long  by  such  architectural  beauty  and  gran- 
deur. The  whole  ceremony  was  brief  and 
thrillingly  impressive.  The  crowd  soon  parsed 
hither  and  thither,  and  we  were  left  nearlv 
alone  with  our  guide,  to  wander  in  this  solemn 
temple,  which  appeared  next  in  vastness  to  the 
grand  universe  itself,  huiig  in  funeral  drapery, 
and  carved  with  the  inscriptions  .of  man's 
glory.     Here,  for  ages,  the  honorable  and  am- 


WESTMINSTER     ABBEY.  67 

bitlous  have  sought,  and  even  coveted,  a 
proud  mausoleum.  Nelson,  on  the  eve  of  one 
of  his  most  important  naval  engagements, 
gave  out  as  the  rallying  watch-word  and 
motto,  "  Victory  or  Westminster  Abbey." 
Hours  passed  beneath  groined  and  traceried 
roofs,  and  sculptured  arcades,  the  sides  filled 
in  with  exquisitely  decorated  niches. 

What  a  vast  and  crowded  cemetery!  What 
a  perfect  wilderness  of  inscriptions !  What  a 
gallery  of  art!  To  tell  you  of  half  the  mon- 
uments on  which  are  inscribed  familiar  names 
must  reduce  your  stock  of  patience  before 
the  record  is  half  read.  I  acknowledge  my- 
self somewhat  bewildered,  and  consider  the 
effusion  of  Pope  exceedingly  appropriate, 
and   no    less    truthful: 

•'  Friend  for  your  epitaphs  I  grieved, 
Where  still  so  much  is  said  ; 
One  half  will  never  be  believed, 
The  other  never  read.'' 

The  grand  nave,  transepts,  choir,  chapels, 
cloisters,  and  monuments,  with  their  inscrip- 
tions, are  all  replete  with  interest.  The 
monument,  which  among  them  all,  leaves  its 
impression    uneffaced,  that   I    considered   in 


68  LEAFLETS. 

every  way  worthy  of  so  mighty  a  man,  was 
the  one  erected  to  the  memory  of  Isaac  New- 
ton. The  iigure  is  recumbent,  leaning  his 
right  arm  on  ibur  titled  folios:  Divinity, 
Chronology,  Optics,  and  Phil.  Prin.  Math.; 
and  pointing  to  a  scroll  supported  by  winged 
chei'ubs.  Over  him  is  a  large  globe,  project- 
ing from  a  pyramid  behind,  whereon  is  delin- 
eated the  course  of  the  comet  in  1080.  wnth 
the  signs,  constellations,  and  planets.  On 
this  sits  the  figure  of  Astronomy,  with  her 
book  closed.  Underneath,  the  principal  fig- 
ure is  a  most  singular  bas-relief,  represent- 
ing the  various  labors  in  which  Sir  Isaac 
chiefly  employed  his  time  :  such  as  discover- 
ing the  cause  of  gravitation,  settling  the  prin- 
ciples of  light  and  colors,  and  reducing  the 
coinage  ti)'  a  determined  standard.  The  de- 
vice of  w^eighing  the  sun  by  the  steelyard  has 
been  thought  at  once  Ixjld  and  striking,  w^hile 
the  entire  design  of  the  monument  does  honor 
to  the  sculptor.  The  inscription  on  the  ped- 
estal is  in  Latin,  short,  but  full  of  meaning, 
which  intimates  that  by  a  spirit,  nearly  divine, 
he  solved,  on  pi'inciples  of  his  own,  the  mo- 
tions and  figures  of  the  planets,  the  paths  of 


WESTMINSTER      ABBEY. 


69 


the  comets,  and  the  ebbing  and  flowing  of  the 
tides.     He  also  discovered  the  dissimilarity  of 
the  rays  of  light,  and  the  properties  of  colors 
from  them  arising,  which   none   but  himself 
had  ever  thought  of;   that  he    was  diligent, 
wise,  and  fliithful  as  an  interpreter  of  nature, 
antiquity,  and  the   Holy  Scriptures;    by  his 
philosophy  he  maintained  the  dignity  of  the 
Supreme  Being,  and  by  the  purity  of  his  life, 
the  simpUcity  of  the  Gospel.     The  inscription 
concludes  with  a  beautiful  exclamation,  "  How 
much  reason  mortals  have  to  pride  themselves 
in  the  existence  of  such  a  great  man,  an  orna- 
ment to  the  human  race."     He  was  born  De- 
cember 25th,   1642,  and    died    March    20th, 
1726.     The  time  was  fast  approaching  for  us 
to  leave,  when   we  paused  several   moments 
in    the    chapel,    to    unite    with    those    who 
gather   there    for   vespers.     The    quiet   that 
prevailed    made    the    stillness    painful,    and 
the  few  voices  sounded  sepulchral.     The  last 
spot  at  which  we  lingered  was  the  Poets'  Cor- 
ner, where  names,  as  familiar  as  household 
words,  greeted   us,   the   fragrance    of  whose 
memory   perfumed    the   very  air  with    the 
breath    of  poetry,   music,   genius,   and  high- 


70  L  K  A  F  L  E  T  S  . 

born  gifts.  Milton,  Gray,  Sliake.speare,  Gold- 
smith, Handel,  Addison,  Ben  Jonson,  Thom- 
son, and  scores  of  others,  completing  a 
luminous  galaxy. 

••  Tlieso  by  Heaven,  and  not  a  master,  taught, 
Whose  art  was  Nature,  and  whose  pictures  thouj^ht." 

Now,  glancing  a  flirevvell  through  this 
monumental  palace — where  all  day  long  we 
had  been  patrons  of  dead  merit — we  listened 
if  we  might  catch  the  piean  note  as  it  echoed 
along  the  dusty  highway  of  the  past,  answer- 
ing back  in  these  gloomy  aisles.  The  magic 
presence  of  buried  greatness  seemed  to  en- 
shrine itself  within  the  depths  of  my  inner 
life,  and  there  haunt  me  with  eager  aspira- 
tions and  lofty  longings,  as  represented  in  the 
well  remembered  lines  of  Longfellow  : 

'•  Lives  of  great  men  all  remind  us 
We  may  make  our  lives  sublime; 
And  departing,  leave  behind  us 
Footprints  on  the  sand  of  time." 


CHAPTER  YII. 

THK     I'AKKS     A  N  i)     T  O  \V  K  K     OF     LONDON. 

May  2%d. 
To-day  we  have  been  breathing  through 
the  great  hmgs  of  London — Hj^de  Park, 
Regent's  Park  and  St.  James'  Park — which 
have  afforded  us  a  charming  opportunity  to 
vsee  the  "dash  and  splash"  of  London  life. 
Oh !  the  glitter  and  dazzle  of  livery,  and  the 
rosy  hue  and  smiling  freshness  of  English 
beauty,  crow^ded  out  of  the  palpitating  heart 
of  the  overflowing  city,  to  swell  and  expand 
into  vigorous  life.  In  these  refreshing  open- 
ings, the  pure  breath  of  heaven  freely  fans, 
with  its  cooling  zephyrs,  alike  the  brow  of  toil 
and  of  luxury.  Hyde  Park  is  less  artificial, 
and  more  rural  than  all  the  others.  The  ven- 
erable trees  of  many  winds  and  winters  cast 
their  thick,  heavy  shadows  along  the  pathway 
of  honest  industry.  On  an  abundance  of 
green  grass,  which  forms  a  velvet-like  carpet, 


72  LEAFLETS. 

hundreds  of  children  come  out  every  day  to 
hop  and  ski}),  and  dance  and  romp,  and  play, 
and  tumble  head  over  heels,  as  freely  and  un- 
restrained as  the  air  they  breathe.  The  aris- 
tocracy of  London  monopolize  the  carriage- 
course  to  display  costly  equipages,  prancing 
steeds,  and  rich,  goi'geous  apparel.  The  co- 
lossal statue  of  Achilles,  erected  by  the  ladies 
as  a  memorial  to  the  "Iron  Duke,"  at  a  cost  of 
ten  thousand  pounds,  and  cast  from  a  dozen 
twenty-four  pounders,  weighing  more  than 
twenty  tons,  adds  a  great  deal  of  interest  to 
the  Park.  In  llegent's  Park,  the  Zoological 
Gardens  are  the  centre  of  attraction,  which  are 
filled  with  "all  manner  of  four-footed  beasts, 
and  creeping  things,  and  fowls  of  the  air,"  from 
the  tiny  insect  to  the  elephant  and  huge  rhi- 
noceros. In  the  Botanical  Gardens,  native 
loveliness  mingles  her  perfumes  with  those  of 
rich  exotics,  and  the  skillful  hand  of  science, 
day  by  day,  is  scattering  those  leaves  for  the 
"healing  of  the  nations." 

St.  James'  Park  is  most  exquisitely  adorned 
with  much  of  natural  and  artificial  loveliness. 
Oh!  how  I  loved  that  little  lake,  where  the 
snowy  swans  were  reposing  in  such  giaceful 


PARKS      OF      LONDON.  73 

attitudes  !  and  I  am  sure  of  pardon  if  I  say 
my  fond  heart  still  clings  to  that  little  gem 
of  an  isle,  a  jewel  in  the  centre  of  the  lake, 
with   its  rustic  cot  so  lovingly  peeping  from 
beneath  the  leaves  and  shrubbery — a  fitting 
nook  for  water-nymphs  to  twine  wreaths  for 
fiiries,  and  dream  and  revel  there  continually. 
As  we  were  leisurely  walking  around,  I  was 
tempted  just  to  take  one  leaf  to  carry  home 
as  a  souvenir,  and,  reaching  up  my  hand   to 
pluck,  not  the  forbidden  fruit,  but  one  single 
leaf  from  a  tree,  the  branches  of  which  were 
hanging  over  my  head,  at  the  same  instant  I 
heard  a  voice  from  behind  me  saying,  ''  Com- 
mit no  depredations  on  these  grounds  !"     My 
hand    dropped,    as    if    instantly    palsied.      I 
turned  around  to  acknowledge,  and  surrender 
myself  a  prisoner,  expecting  to  encounter  the 
stern  and  dignified  air  of  one  of  Her  Most 
Gracious    Majesty's    ''blue-coats    and   bright 
buttons"  (a  policeman)  ;  but  to  my  agreeable 
surprise,  I  will  assure  you,  there  stood  Mr. 

and  Mrs.  T ,  who  crossed  the  ocean  with 

us ;  their  presence,  aside  from  quieting  my 
fears,  was  as  refreshing  as  the  dew  of  a  sum- 
mer evening,  they  seemed    to   us    like    old 


74  LEAFLETS. 

friends,  and  together  ^ye  walked  and  talked 
of  our  dear  homes,  and  the  piecious  heart- 
jewels,  far  away  over  the  sea,  until  the  hell 
ran<i:  ior  us  to  leave  the  Park. 

It  was  quite  early  in  the  morning  when 
we  found  ourselves  dashing  down  the  streets 
of  London  in  a  Hanson,  the  vehicle  I  prom- 
ised to  descrihe  to  you :  It  is  drav/n  by 
one  horse,  with  a  high  dash  in  the  front  of 
the  carriage  to  prevent  accident  from  the 
horse's  heels.  Onl}^  two  persons  can  be  ac- 
commodated in  the  interior,  which  is  en- 
tered in  front  of  the  wheels,  almost  in  the 
ground.  As  we  enter,  the  driver  folds  to- 
gether two  Avooden  doors  on  their  hinges,  and, 
after  we  take  our  seats,  they  are  closed  snug- 
ly over  us,  with  only  our  head  and  arms  above 
them.  The  top  surmounts  the  two  wheels,  at 
the  back  of  which  the  driver  sits,  perched  up 
high  in  a  little  box-like  seat,  the  reins  ex- 
tending over  the  projecting  cover  of  the  car- 
riage. On  the  whole,  the}*  are  a  great  novelty 
to  Americans.  As  we  rode  along  this  morn- 
ing, the  immense  sea  of  human  beings  con- 
stantly ebbing  and  flowing  through  the  great 
thoroughfares  of  the  city — the  world  of  om- 


PARKS"     OF      LONDON.  75 

iiibusses,  drays,  carts,  cabs  and  carriages — the 
streets  and  alleys — the  shops  and  stores, 
dwellings  and  public  buildings,  are  all  begin- 
ning to  look  so  familiar  to  me  that  I  can 
hardly  imagine  I  have  been  here  so  short  a 
time.  At  length  we  reached  tlie  famous  Old 
Tower  of  London,  at  the  entrance  of  which 
we  were  shown  a  small  room,  where  we  were 
to  obtain  our  tickets,  and  wait  until  a  party  of 
eight  or  ten  had  gathered  to  accompany  us. 
The  space  inclosing  the  Tower  is  surrounded 
by  walls,  with  a  moat  or  ditch,  which  is 
spanned  at  each  entrance  by  a  bridge,  and 
within  this  inclosure  there  is  quite  a  little 
town,  covering  nearly  twelve  acres,  con- 
taining several  hundred  inhabitants.  The  main 
structure,  or  Tower,  is  square,  surmounted  at 
its  four  corners  with  turrets.  Our  escort  was 
one  of  the  yeomen  of  the  guard,  dressed  in  the 
gay  livery  of  the  times  of  Henry  the  Eighth : 
a  hat  of  black  velvet,  trimmed  with  narrow  rib- 
bons of  red  and  white.  We  first  passed  a  chain 
of  small  towers,  where  sentinels  were  perambu- 
lating slowly  to  and  fro  on  duty.  The  next 
moment  the  old  Tower  stood  up  before  us 
like  a  grim  witness  of  an  age  of  crime  and 


7b  LEAFLETS. 

blood.  In  vain  I  attempted  to  suppress  the 
chill  which  came,  Avith  the  recollection  ot"  the 
stories  of  my  childhood,  wrought  in  fearful 
and  horrible  pictures  of  the  murders,  execu- 
tions and  imprisonments  in  this  Tower,  while 
the  roll  of  years  had  faded,  hut  not  effaced, 
their  crimson  coloring;  but,  as  we  were  lean- 
ing against  those  hoary  walls,  and  looking 
down  from  the  glorious  pinnacle  of  England's 
present  prosperity  and  pride,  into  the  dark 
shadows  that  fall  upon  this  gloomy  fixbric,  in 
its  past  history,  we  rejoiced  in  the  change. 
Now  justice,  liberty,  intelligence  and  religious 
refinement,  with  the  radiance  of  their  many 
suns,  dispel  the  darkness  and  terrors  of  the 
terrific  night  of  ''  Iron  Rule." 

The  exterior  is  less  gloomy  than  1  had  an- 
ticipated, and  appeared  to  me  only  as  a  grand 
memento  of  past  conflicts  and  storms.  We 
proceeded  to  the  entrance,  which  opens  into 
a  long  apartment,  filled  on  both  sides  with 
equestrian  figures  of  life-size,  and  clad  in  full 
armor  of  various  periods,  mounted  on  wooden 
horses,  elegantly  caparisoned.  Our  warden, 
with  ludicrous  importance,  began  very  cere- 
moniously to  introduce  us  to  each  of  these 


PARKS      OF      LONDON.  77 

kingly  equestrians.  All  in  the  party  seemed 
struck  with  the  appearance  of  the  one  repre- 
senting Edward  the  First,  the  effigy  being 
covered  with  chain-mail,  ingeniously  con- 
structed of  a  number  of  little  rings,  which  in- 
terlace each  other,  forming  a  connected  gar- 
ment or  net-work  of  steel.  We  soon  wearied 
in  trying  to  closely  examine  half  of  them  ;  but 
as  we  gave  a  passing  look,  our  yeoman  con- 
tinued to  call  out  the  names  of  this  august 
senate,  repeating  a  well-learned  yarn  of  their 
history  and  glory,  in  elaborate  sentences,  and 
would-be  scientific  tones.  Nearly  all  the 
party  had  preceded  him,  and  were  spjdng  out 
every  corner,  and  closely  exainining  the  mili- 
tary trophies  and  emblems  that  everywhere 
adorn  the  ceilings,  arranged  in  forms  of  suns^ 
crescents,  and  stars,  glittering  brightly  with 
guns,  swords,  lances,  and  spears,  which  also 
cover,  in  curious  devices,  the  pillars  and 
arches.  We  were  shown  an  Irish  weapon 
called  a  spath,  found  near  the  Giant's  Cause- 
way, and  the  British  battle-axe,  found  in  the 
river  Thames.  Other  ca-es  were  filled  with 
lances,  helmets,  curious  daggers  and  powder- 
horns,  and  thousands  of  warlike  implements. 


78  LEAFLETS. 

We  were  almost  lost  in  the  perfect  wilderness 
of  arms.  When  some  of  our  party  had 
reached  the  further  end  of  the  room,  our  yeo- 
man suddenly  became  awai  e  that  he  had  an 
audience  of  only  two  or  three,  and  was  in 
great  dani^er  of  expendin<i;  his  flow  of  elo- 
quence on  the  silent  and  motionless  audience 
of  equestrians.  He  stopped  for  a  moment  his 
studied  tones,  and  screamed  out  at  the  top  of 
his  voice,  ''  Stop  there,  1  say."  Findin^^  it  im- 
possible to  recall  them,  he  hastened  on  to  lead 
the  way  to  the  apartments  known  as  Queen 
Elizabeth's  aiinory,  calling  our  attention,  as 
w^e  passed  up  the  stairs,  to  the  immense  thick- 
ness of  the  walls,  careful  at  the  same  time  to 
impress  us  with  the  fact  that  we  were  nc^t  al- 
lowed to  precede  him.  At  the  extreme  end 
of  this  room  is  a  figui'e  of  the  proud  queen, 
mounted  on  a  splendidly  carved  horse,  and  at- 
tired in  a  dress,  said  to  have  been  woin 
by  her  when  living,  which  is  gorgeously  mag- 
nificent. Her  page,  a  pretty  little  lad,  stands 
by  her  side,  and  is  in  the  act  of  holding  her 
horse  by  the  bridle.  We  now  passed  through 
rooms  and  pris(ms  replete  with  the  menuu'ie.s 
of  gloomy  and  fearful  events.     I  trembled  a» 


TOWER      OF     LONDON.  78 

I  looked  at  the  identical  block,  and  with  eyes 
dimmed  with  tears,  examined  the  marks  made 
by  the  ax  which  severed  the  head  from 
the  body  of  the  beautiful  Anne  Boleyn, 
who,  a  few  hours  before  her  execution, 
placed  her  delicate  hands  around  her  neck, 
consoling  herself  with  the  idea  that  it  was 
so  slender  that  one  stroke  would  sever  it. 
This  is  the  same  block  which  was  used 
when  Lady  Jane  Grey  was  beheaded.  How 
it  made  the  blood  rush  to  my  brain  as 
I  recalled  her  transparent  innocency,  and 
wondered  for  a  moment  why  a  just  God 
did  not  interfere  in  vengeance.  As  we 
continued  our  tour,  we  recalled  the  periods 
when,  according  to  history,  this  citadel  was 
an  impregnable  fortress,  defying  the  assaults 
of  foreign  foes  ;  then  changed  into  a  palace, 
which  witnessed  the  magnificent  festivities 
of  royalty,  among  which  were  the  brilliant 
tournaments  of  Henry  the  Seventh's  day,  and 
the  joyful  but  short-lived  entertainments  of 
the  infamous  Henry  the  Eighth,  that  were 
enacted  here  during  the  early  part  of  his 
reign. 

Passing   from    the    Tower   into   the   open 
7 


80  LEAFLETS. 

court-yard,  we  stood  upon  the  very  spot  where 
the  block  was  placed  at  the  time  of  executions. 
With  what  distinctness  the  last  words  uttered 
by  the  lovely  Anne  Boleyn  came  from  the 
past  to  me,  "0  Father!  O  Father!  Thou  art 
the  truth,  and  the  life,  Thou  knowest  I  have 
not  deserved  this  death."  She  was  born  in 
England  in  1507,  but  at  an  early  age  removed 
to  France,  and  was  there  connected  with  the 
French  Court,  where  her  beauty  and  accom- 
plishments rendered  her  very  attractive.  She 
returned  to  England  in  1526,  and  became 
maid  of  honor  to  Katharine  of  Aragon,  the 
first  wife  of  Henry  the  Eighth,  of  England ;  the 
king  lell  deeply  in  love  with  her,  and  man- 
aged to  annul  his  marriage  with  Katharine, 
marrying  Anne  on  the  14th  of  November, 
1532.  But, alas!  three  short  years  closed  up 
her  queenly  career,  for  the  charms  of  one  of 
her  maids  of  honor  in  turn  alienated  the  af- 
fections of  the  King.  But  hers  was  a  more 
terrible  fate.  Accused  of  high  treason,  she 
was  condemned  and  committed  to  this  Tower, 
from  which  she  was  soon  after  led  to  the 
block  standing  on  this  spot,  where  she 
prayed  for  the  King,  infamous  as  he  was,  say- 


TOWER     OF      LONDON.  81 

ing  "  he  had  raised  her  to  the  highest  dignity 
of  this  world,  and  then  he  was  sending  her 
to  be  a  saint  in  heaven."  Still  attesting  her 
innocence  in  the  thrilling  words  I  have  writ- 
ten, and  hoping  for  no  redress,  she  calmly 
submitted  to  her  fate.  But  a  voice  still  more 
lovely  sounds  on  my  ears,  as  I  linger  on  this 
spot ;  it  is  the  voice  of  Lady  Jane  Grey,  as  she 
kneels  on  the  scaffold,  and  offers  up  this 
brief  prayer:  "Lord,  into  Thy  hands  I  com- 
mend my  spirit,"  then  meekly  bowed  to  meet 
her  death.  The  memories  of  her  virtues 
have  ever  excited  admiration,  and  her  end 
the  deepest  sympathy.  She  was  born  at 
Bradgate,  in  Leicestershire,  in  1537,  inherit- 
ing royal  blood  by  both  her  parents.  She 
was  thoroughly  educated  and  accomplish- 
ed. When  a  mere  child,  she  could  write  and 
speak  French,  Italian,  Latin,  and  Greek  with 
great  fluency;  she  was  also  endowed  with 
a  rare  talent  for  music,  which  was  cultivated 
with  care.  She  married  Lord  Gifford  Dud- 
ley, and  through  the  misconcerted  plans  of 
her  father-in-law,  she  was  induced,  contrary 
to  her  own  wishes,  to  ascend  the  throne  of 
England,  as  successor  of  Edward  the  Sixth. 


82  LEAFLETS. 

The  crown  would  have  been  rightfully  hers, 
had  not  Henry  the  Eighth,  in  his  will,  re- 
voked the  decree  that  had  annulled  the  mar- 
riages of  the  mothers  of  the  princesses  Mary 
and  Elizabeth.  The  royal  diadem  pressed 
her  fair  brow  only  nine  days,  when  the 
nation  declared  Mary  queen,  who  was  the 
eldest  daughter  of  Henry  the  Eighth.  Lady 
Jane  and  her  youthful  husband  were  imme- 
diately committed  to  the  Tower,  and  on  the 
walls  of  her  prison  she  wrote  these  lines, 
which  are  still  visible  : 

•'  HarmlorfH  all  malice,  if  our  God  is  nigh; 
Fruitless  all  pains,  if  He  His  help  deny, 
Patient  I  pass  these  gloomy  hours  away, 
And  wait  the  morning  of  eternal  day." 

She  saw  her  husband  led  to  the  execution, 
and  soon  alter  followed  him,  without  breath- 
ing a  complaint  of  the  unjustness  of  her  pun- 
ishment, or  its  severity,  subjecting  her  to  such 
a  cruel  liate  at  the  early  age  of  seventeen. 
Passing  from  this,  we  inquired  for  the  chamber 
in  which  the  two  princes  were  smothered,  a 
sacrifice  to  the  murderous  ambition  of  Richard 
the  Third,  and  the  place  where  bloody  Mary 
afterward  held  her  Court.    It  must  have  been  a 


TOWER      OF      LONDON. 


83 


strange  power,  thought  I,  that  changed  this 
Tower  from  a  fortress  to   a  paUice,  and  from 
a  palace  to  a  prison.    But  hapi)ier  and  l)right- 
er  years  have  at  Last  let  fall  a  curtain  over 
such  tragic  and  mournful  scenes,  which,  God 
grant,  may  never  rise  again.     We  have  now 
only  to  visit  the  Jewel  Room,  which  we  can- 
not leave  without  seeing.     In  this  apartment 
the  crowns  and  sceptres  of  EnglamVs  kings 
and  queens  are  kept,  which  we  found  lying 
on    a    stand    inclosed   in    an    immense    iron 
cage,  where  we  could  look  at,  hut  not  touch 
then'i.     Here  is  the   crown  which  was  worn 
by   Victoria,  at   her   coronation,  and   is    al- 
ways carried  on  a  cushion  before  her  when  she 
goe^  to  open  Parliament,  and  on  other  State 
days.     It  is  a  cap  of  royal  purple  velvet  in- 
closed in  hoo^s  of  silver,  surmounted  by   a 
ball  and  cross,  and  resplendent  with  diamonds. 
In  the  centre  of  the  cross  is  a  costly  sapphire, 
and  on  the  front  of  the  crown  is  a  heart- 
shaped  ruby,  said  to  have  been  worn  by  the 
Black  Prince.      Here  is  also  the   Prince   of 
Wales'  crown  of  pure  gold,  thickly  studded 
with  the  rarest  jewels.     Among  these  royal 
ornaments,  is  the  pointless  sword  of  Mercy ; 

7* 


84 


LEAFLETS. 


the  two  swords  of  Justice,  of  solid  gold; 
the  queen's  golden  sceptre ;  the  vessels  used 
at  the  coronation;  the  baptismal  fount,  from 
which  the  royal  children  are  christened,  to- 
gether with  the  magnificent  sacramental  ser- 


vice 


CHAPTER   Vni. 

ACADEMY     OF     ARTS— MADAME    TISSAI.D'S     (JALLERY 
— C I  T  Y     R  O  A  1 )     C  H  A  1'  E  E— S  T  .     1'  A  U  L  '  S  . 

Afaij  24:th. 

I  HAVE  spent  nearly  all  da}-  in  the  Royal 
Academy  of  Arts,  situated  on  Trafalgar 
Square,  and  in  the  east  wing  of  the  National 
Gallery.  It  is  a  school,  or  academy  of  design, 
for  the  special  use  of  students  in  the  fine  arts, 
whose  works  are  presented  annually  to  the 
public  on  exhibition.  I  had  spent  a  day  in 
these  rooms  once  before,  but  on  leaving  them 
felt  that  I  was  just  commencing  to  appreciate 
these  superb  works  of  modern  artists.  Pass- 
ing through  the  rooms  filled  with  statuary, 
**  Melancholy"  and  '' Mirth,"  represented  by 
two  female  figures,  arrested  my  attention  as 
being  very  beautiful;  one  a  pensive  nun, 
devout,  sober,  steadfast,  and  demure,  very 
strikingly  contrasts  with  the  g?iy  creature 
^'  Mirth."  who  seems  to  say, 

"  Come  and  trip  it  as  we  go, 
On  the  light  fantastic  toe." 


86  L  E  A  F  L  E  T  S  . 

'' Jephthah  and  his  Dautrhter"  pleased  me 
much;  the  father's  attitude  is  that  of  a  brave, 
stei'ii  warrior;  the  gentle  maiden  leans  grace- 
fully and  coniidingly  on  his  shoulder.  One  is 
almost  ready  to  go  off  in  an  ecstacy  of  delight 
looking  at  a  chuljjjy  baby  just  taken  from  its 
bath;  its  little  dimpled  form,  of  perfect  sym- 
metry, appears  to  press  into  the  marble  as  if 
it  Avere  a  downy  pillow,  and  the  little  rogue 
uplii'ts  in  one  hand  a  white  lilly,  which  it  has 
brought  from  the  bath  with  so  much  of  baby 
triumph;  I  can  hardly  imagine  this  sculp- 
ture to  be  excelled  in  truthfulness  and  beauty. 
'Tiacere  e  dolore,"  "Swift  and  Slow  Hours," 
the  iigure  which  represents  Swift  Hours  seems 
ethereal,  the  hair  long  and  flowing  as  if  blown 
by  an  invisible  breath,  and  her  garments 
gracefully  loose,  with  a  vail  of  vapory  texture 
thrown  over  her,  without  concealing  the  fea- 
tures, producing  an  extraordinary  effect ;  and, 
with  outstretched  arms,  she  seems  to  glide 
into  time's  rushing  current.  "  Slow  Hours  "  is 
repi'esented  by  a  luxuriant  being,  fallen  asleep 
in  a  bed  of  roses.  Oh!  how  sweetly,  slowly, 
and  silently  glide  the  moments  by.  Nidia. — 
One  standing  b}^  the  side  of  this  piece  of  mar- 


AOADEEY      OF      AKTP.  87 

ble,  listens,  expecting  to  hear  the  blind 
flower  girl  of  Pompeii  say,  "buy  my  flowers, 
0  buy  ' "  "  Maidenhood  "  is  a  fine  figure,  such 
as  represented  by  Longfell.jw,  in  the  following 
lines : 

"Stamling  with  rcluctaiil  fcet, 
Where  the  brook  and  river  meet, 
Womanhood  and  cliildhood  fleet! 
Gazing  with  a  timid  ghince, 
On  the  brooklet's  swift  advance, 
On  the  river's  broad  expanse!  " 

In  all,  there  are  one  hundred  and  fifty 
pieces  of  statuary,  each  interesting  in  design, 
and  well  executed. 

The  Picture  Gallery,  which  I  next  passed 
to  examine,  does  honor  to  English  artists. 
The  picture  representing  St.   John   leading 
home  his  adopted  mother,  painted  by  W.  Dyce 
seems,  at  one  look,  to  tell  the  whole  Story  oi 
the  Cross,  and  of  our  buried  Lord.    John  and 
Marv  are  coming  in  the  fore-ground  from  the 
sepulchre;  one  of  Mary's  hands  is  laid  gently 
in  that  of  John's,  and  in  the  other  she  holds 
the  crown   of   thorns  our  Saviour  wore,  at 
which  she  gazes  sadly  and  mournfully;  John 
is  looking  at  her  with  loving  pity,  as  if  the  com- 
mission given  by  Jesus,  a  few  hour«  since,  was 


88  LEAFLETS. 

revolving  in  his  mind,  for  wlien  expiring  on 
the  (;ro.ss,  "Jesus  said  to  the  disciple  stand- 
ing by,  whom  He  loved,  behold  thy  mother! 
and  IVom  that  time  that  disciple  took  her  to 
his  home.''  Other  of  his  folloAvers  are  coming 
from  the  tomb,  which  is  in  the  back-ground, 
where  the  two  Marys  still  linger,  while  the 
clouds,  ominous  of  impending  doom,  hang 
over  the  city.  Here,  also,  I  saw  an  excellent 
picture  of  Wesley,  the  last  century's  great 
revivalist,  preaching  at  Epworth  Church,  Lin- 
colnshire. It  is  painted  by  Brownlow,  from 
the  scenes  in  John  Wesley's  Journal,  June  6th, 
1742,  who  said,  "1  stood  near  the  east  end  of 
the  Church,  upon  my  father's  tomb-stone,  and 
cried,  'The  kingdom  of  heaven  is  not  meat 
and  drink,  but  righteousness,  and  peace,  and 
joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost.'"  It  is  represented  so 
life-like,  one  can  almost  imagine  they  are 
in  the  throng  that  crowd  around  him,  listen- 
ing to  the  burning  words  that  fell  from  his 
lips,  touched  with  hallowed  lire.  The  hour 
of  closing  came,  and  I  was  obliged  to  leave 
this  interesting  place,  where  I  might  have 
spent  hours  longer,  and  even  days,  pleasantly. 
Having  heard  much  of  Madame  Tussaud's 


ACADEMY      OP      ARTS.  89 

Gallery  of  Wax  Figures,  admitted  by  all  to 
combine  good  taste  and  genius  in  their  life- 
like representations,  we  entered  one  lovely 
evening — they  appearing  to  better  advantage 
by  gas-light — and  it  seemed  like  suddenly  be- 
ing ushered  into  the  presence  of  the  living 
forms  of  the  renowned  of  earth. 

In  a  small  room  adjoining  the  one  we  en- 
tered is  a  shrine  in  honor  of  the  illustrious 
Duke  of  Wellington,  whose  waxen  figure  is 
reposing  on  his  tent-couch,  under  a  gorgeous 
canopy  of  velvet,  and  cloth  of  gold.  His 
mantle  of  the  Order  of  the  Garter,  so  nobly 
worn,  is  thrown  over  him,  displaying  its  rich 
folds,  and  surrounding  him  are  the  emblems 
of  dignity  and  greatness,  rendering  it  a 
magnificent  memorial.  We  next  visited  a 
large  room,  which  was  perfectly  thronged 
with  the  illustrious  of  different  periods  and 
countries.  The  groups  in  the  centre  of  this 
room  represent  the  Courts  of  England  and 
France,  in  full  state  dress,  being  a  grand  per- 
sonification of  royalty.  So  graceful  and  easy 
are  the  attitudes  of  these  figures,  whether 
sitting,  standing  or  reclining,  one  can  hardly 
imagine  that  their  smiles  and  pretty  dimples, 


90  LEA  F  L  E  'J'  S  . 

and  perfectly-nioulded  forms,  are  not  real. 
Madame  St.  Amaranthe.  said  to  have  been 
the  most  beautiful  woman  in  France,  who  was 
hurried  into  eternity  in  the  attack  made  on 
the  Tuilleries,  August  10th,  1792,  by  Robes- 
pierre, during  the  Reign  oi"  Terror,  is  repre- 
sented I'eposing,  in  full  dress,  having  fallen 
asleep  with  (me  arm  under  her  head,  and,  by 
some  ingenious  mechanism,  her  figure  is 
made  to  breathe — 

''The  very  life  seems  warm  upon  her  lips; 
The  lixture  of  lier  eye  has  motion  in't!'' 

As  we  were  admiring  this  beautiful  wo- 
man in  wax,  we  observed  an  old  lady 
sitting  in  a  chair  near  us,  dressed  in  black, 
looking  through  a  pair  of  gold  spectacles,  and 
holding  in  her  hand  a  snuff-box,  which  was 
open,  as  if  she  was  just  in  the  act  of  taking 
a  pinch.  One  of  our  company,  who  had  de- 
tected this  splendid  fraud,  wishing  to  see  how 
far  it  could  be  practiced  on  others,  spoke  in 
a  low  tone  to  me,  to  take  care  and  not  allow 
that  old  woman  to  soil  my  dress  with  her 
snuff.  I  thanked  him,  and  quietly  stepped 
aside.     But  I  was  never  so  completely  and 


ACADEMY     OP"     ARTS.  91 

thoroughly  sold  tas  when  I  ascertained  that 
this  old  woman  was  also  wax,  and  the  cata- 
loiTue  in  niv  hand  introduced  her  as  Madame 
Tussaud,  the  prim  lady  of  the  establishment. 
In  a  moment  or  two,  as  we  had  advanced  a 
few  steps,  it  fortunately  became  my  turn  to 
discover  a  perfect  deception,  when  I  said  to 
the  gentleman  ''  Do  you  recognize  that  old 
man  yonder  who  is  bowing  to  you?"  He 
turned  quickly  and  politely  returned  the  bow, 
when,  to  his  surprise,  and  greatly  to  my 
amusement,  he  saw  that  the  venerable  old 
man  with'  broad-brim  hat,  in  bowing,  was 
doing  the  honors  of  this  silent  group,  and  not 
by  his  own  volition. 

The  little  catalogue  we  had  purchased  at 
the  door  as  we  proceeded,  made  us  acquainted, 
by  name  and  person,  with  kings  and  queens, 
lords  and  ladies,  princes  and  princesses,  dukes 
and  duchesses,  peers  and  peeresses,  marquis 
and  marchioness,  generals,  reformers,  divines, 
philosophers,  poets  and  artists,  in  all  two  hun- 
dred figures,  as  large  as  life,  and  in  full  dress, 
representing  the  most  brilliant  personages 
that  have  adorned  the  annals  of  any  age.     1 

fancied  T   had   seen   John    Knox   and  Mar- 

8 


92  LEAFLETS. 

tin  Luther,  and  John  Calvin,  their  peisonal 
appearance  and  expression  seemed  so  truth- 
fully the  index  of  their  characters  ;  but  I  was 
not  so  well  pleased  with  the  figure  represent- 
ing John  Wesley.  Reaching  the  centre  of 
the  room  we  came  into  the  presence  of  Henry 
the  Eighth,  dressed  in  a  magnificent  suit  of 
armor.  His  little  son,  afterward  Edward  the 
Sixth,  was  standing  near  him  ;  also  his  two 
daughters,  Mary  and  Elizabeth,  who,  after 
their  brother's  death,  in  turn  both  became 
queens.  Standing  around  the  King,  are  his 
vsix  wives,  clad  in  queenly  robes  :  Catherine 
of  Aragon,  the  mother  of  Queen  Mary  ;  Anne 
Boleyn,  mother  of  Queen  Elizabeth ;  Jane 
Seymour,  the  mother  of  King  Edward  the 
Sixth;  Anne  of  Cleves,  Catharine  Howard,  and 
Catharine  Parr.  Two  of  these  fair  beings 
this  infamous  tyrant  caused  to  be  beheaded. 
His  reign  of  thirty-seven  years  blackened 
the  page  of  English  history  in  the  sacrifice 
of  thousands  of  lives  to  accomplish  his  wilful 
purposes  ;  his  daughters,  particularly  Mary, 
followed  his  example.  I  turned  from  this 
group  with  disgust  and  pity,  only,  however, 
to  admire  another,  who  are  the    pride  and 


MAI),    tussaud's    gallery.  93 

glory  of  England,  which,  Heaven  grant,  may 
grow  up  in  integrity  and  virtue  : 

Her  Most  Gracious  Majesty,  Queen  Victoria. 

Albert,  Prince  Consort. 

The  Duchess  of  Kent,  the  Queen's  honor- 
able mother.  The  royal  family  consisting  of 
nine  children — England's  honest  pride — whose 
names  are  as  follows  : 

Victoria  Adelaide  Maiy  Louisa ;  Albert  Ed- 
ward, Prince  of  Wales ;  Alice  Maud  Mary  ; 
Alfred  Ernest  Albert ;  Helena  Augusta  Vic- 
toria ;  Louisa  Carolina  Alberta ;  Arthur  Wil- 
liam Patrick  Albert ;  Leopold  George  Duncan 
Albert ;  Beatrice  Mary  Victoria  Feodore. 

As  we  turned,  well  pleased,  from  England's 
royalty,  we  felt  quite  at  home  as  we  came  in- 
to the  presence  of  our  own  honored  Geoi-ge 
Washington,  and  it  was  with  a  feeling  of  min- 
gled pride  and  joy  that  we  read  over  his  ma- 
jestic form  the  well-known  inscription — "  First 
in  peace,  first  in  war,  and  first  in  the  hearts 
of  his  countrymen  !"  By  his  side,  as  a  noble 
companion,  stood  Benjamin  Franklin.  In  a 
room  called  the  Golden  Chamber,  filled  with 
Napoleonic  relics,  we  saw  the  bedstead  used 
by  the  Emperor  during    seven  years  of  his 


94  LEAFLETS. 

exile  at  St.  Helena,  and  the  mattres.s  and  pil- 
low on  which  he  died.  We  were  allowed  to 
sit  in  his  favorite  chair  and  enter  the  military 
carriage  in  which  he  made  the  campaign  of 
Russia — the  internal  arrangements  are  so 
constructed,  tliat  he  could  adjust  it  for  a 
l:ed,  on  which  he  slept  comfortably;  then, 
into  a  saloon,  where  he  feasted  sumptuously 
at  times  ;  then  into  a  library,  containing  his 
books  and  maps,  and  writing-desk,  wnth  its 
secret  drawers.  It  was  in  this  w^onder- 
ful  carriage  that  he  sketched  some  of  his 
most  successful  plans.  Here  is,  also,  the  coro- 
nation coach,  with  the  one  used  during  his 
exile  ;  and  many  other  interesting  and  valu- 
able relics,  all  of  which  are  well  authenticated, 
and  valued  at  several  thousand  pounds.  The 
last  room  we  visited  was  the  Chamber  of 
Horrors,  in  which  there  is  a  reproduction  of 
many  of  the  most  bloody  murders  and  mur- 
derers the  world  ever  knew.  These  ferocious, 
tiger-like  physiognomies  almost  stupefied  me 
with  terror ;  and  while  we  lingered  a  few 
moments  in  this  room,  the  gas  was  suddenly 
extinguished,  leaving  us  with  only  a  glim- 
mering taper  to  grope  our  way  through  these 


CITY      ROAD      CHAPEL.  95 

horrid,  bloody  representations  of  men  whose 
names  are  recorded  in  history  as  the  guiltiest 
of  the  guilty. 

This  day  is  embalmed  in  holy  memories — 
a  sparkling  gem  in  the  cup  of  immortality, 

"  Like  the  drops  of  ciystal  dew  which  the  win.irs  of  nu^t-h  scatter. 
When,  on  a  bright  Sabbath  morn,  their  plumes  quiver  most  with 
dehght." 

At  an  early  hour  in  the  morning,  we  were 
wending  our  way  to  the  City  Road  Chapel, 
to  attend  morning-service.  In  the  congrega- 
tion were  two  old  ladies,  dressed  in  the  style 
of  primitive  Methodists.  At  the  close  of  the 
exercises  we  introduced  ourselves  to  them, 
and  learned  that  they  retained  a  distinct  re- 
collection of  the  Wesleys  and  their  coadjutors. 
They  are  two  of  the  few  links  remaining  to 
connect  the  past  of  Methodism  with  the 
present.  Though  aged,  they  were  firm  in  the 
faith,  giving  glory  to  God.  After  the  congre- 
gation left,  we  took  this  opportunity  to  ex- 
amine the  interior  of  the  Chapel,  and  read 
the  record  of  the  pious  dead,  as  inscribed  on 
tablets  inserted  in  these  venerable  walls.  The 
arched  chancel,  back  of  the  pulpit,  is  div^ided 

8* 


96  LEAFLETS. 

into    compartments ;    in    the    centre,  in    gilt 
lettering,  is  the  Lord's  Prayer,  the  Ten  Com- 
mandments and  the  Apostles'  Creed  ;  on  the 
left  side  are  tablets  to  the  memory  of  John 
Wesley,  Josepli  Benson  and  Robert  Watson ; 
on    the   right,   to    Charles   Wesley,    Thomas 
Cooke  and  Adam  Clarke.     The  Sexton  con- 
ducted us  into  the  house,  standing  near  the 
church,  where  Benson  lived  when  he  w^rote 
his  valuable  Commentaries,   and   showed  us 
the  room  in  which  he  died.     On  the  opposite 
side  is  the  parsonage,  built  under  the  direc- 
tion of  Mr.   Wesley,  where  he    lived  many 
years   during    the    latter    part   of    his    life. 
The  house  has  four  stories,  having  the  same 
plain    and    substantial    appearance    as    the 
church.      The    rooms   are   convenient!}'    ar- 
ranged, so  that  each  floor  can  be  used  as  a 
suit  of  rooms  for  a  minister's  family.     Few 
relics  of  the  furniture  are  left.     The  chair  in 
which  he  sat  ('nly  a  few  moments  previous 
to  his  death,  and  the  bedstead  wdiereon  he 
died,  are  preserved  as  sacred  relics. 

It  w\as  a  holy,  pleasure  to  stand  in  the  room, 
"the  chamber  where  the  good  man  met  his 
fate,  a  privilege  above  the  common  walks  of 


CITY      ROAD      CHAPEL.  97 

life,  quite  on  the  verge  of  heaven."  Here, 
sixtv'-nine  years  ago,  the  golden  cord  that  had 
for  eighty-seven  years  bound  him  to  a  life  of 
u>;efulness,  snapped  asunder,  and  just  as  his 
lyre  was  resting  on  earth,  the  last  note  blend- 
ing with  the  new  and  triumphant  song,  the 
deathless  spirit  still  fluttered  on  his  lips  to 
utter  his  last  words  which  trembled  on  the 
air  of  heaven,  and  have  since  resounded 
thr.'Ugh  the  world,  ^^tlte  hest  ot  all,  God  is 
with   t/5." 

At  three  o'clock  we  went  to  St.  Paul's  Ca- 
thedral. On  entering,  we  found  a  small  portion 
of  the  nave  fenced  in  like  a  sheep-fold,  in 
which  the  congregation  was  to  be  pent  up 
during  service.  As  my  eye  ran  over  this 
temple,  I  thought  what  a  magnificent  scene 
twelve  thousand  true  worshippers  filling 
this  Cathedral  would  present !  We  secur- 
ed our  seats,  and  soon  after  the  Lord  Mayor, 
with  his  brilliantly-dressed  retinue,  came 
in,  and  were  seated,  also  a  great  many  judges 
and  barristers,  with  periwigs  and  fantastic 
dress.  The  opening  services,  reading  prayers, 
singing  and  chanting  were  conducted  with  a 
great  deal  of  pomp  and  ceremony.     A  vener- 


98  LEAFLETS. 

able  gentleman  passed  very  near  where  we 
were  sitting,  and  entered  the  pulpit,  with  a 
bouquet  in  his  hand,  which  he  placed  by  the 
Bible.  It  was  Melville.  He  at  once  gave  out 
the  text,  "But  the  natural  man  receiveth  not 
the  things  of  the  spirit  of  God;  for  they  are 
Jbolishness  to  him;  neither  can  he  know  them, 
because  they  are  spiritually  discerned."  His 
voice  thrilled  me  like  melodious  music  as  I 
gazed  upon  him,  most  happily  disappointed, 
for  I  had  expected  to  see  a  serious,  grave  old 
man,  with  a  ^^ memento  mori^^  kind  of  face. 
On  the  contrary,  every  'angle  of  his  counten- 
ance glowed  with  the  intelligence  and  benig- 
nity of  an  angel;  his  gray  hair  eminently  "a 
crown  of  glory;"  his  arguments  w^ere  pro- 
found; his  illustrations  clear  as  a  sunbeam, 
which  rendered  the  sermon  eloquent  and 
evangelical.  What  divine  lustre !  What  a 
halo  of  glory  encircles  the  inner  life,  when 
thus  the  things  of  God  are  spiritually  dis- 
cerned. 

At  an  early  hour,  in  the  evening,  Mr.  N 

preached  in  the  City  Road  Chapel,  the  Cathe- 
dral of  Methodism  before  alluded  to.  I  hum- 
bly prayed  that  he  might  be  inspired,  and 


ST.    paul'vS.  99 

deeply  embued  with  the  spirit  that  lived  and 
breathed  in  the  holy  men  who  had  preached 
in  that  pulpit:  such  as  the  Wesleys,  Adam 
Clarke,  Cooke  and  Benson,  together  with  the 
immortal  Whitfield.  After  the  sermon  we 
tarried  for  the  sacrament ;  in  the  even- 
ing, and  in  this  sacred  Chapel,  to  me  it 
was  an  impressive  and  thoughtful  hour.     Mr. 

N was  invited  by  the  ministers  to  assist 

in  the  administration  of  the  elements,  but  de- 
clined, and,  for  the  first  time  in  our  lives,  we 
kneeled  side  by  side  around  the  Lord's  table ; 
and  as  the  cup  pressed  my  lips,  I  prayed  earn- 
estly, saying:  '^  0  my  Father,  grant  that  in  the 
day  thou  shalt  come  to  make  up  thy  jewels, 
we  may  together  drink  it  anew  in  the  kingdom 
of  heaven." 


CHAPTER  IX 

U  1  \  [)SOH     CASTLE— II  K  use  II  i:  I,' S     (i  R.\  VK  — GR  A  Y  'S 
i:i,E(JV  — AX     ENGLISH     FAMILY. 

May  21th. 
At  an  early  hour  we  took  a  train  for  Wind- 
sor Castle,  about  twenty  miles  irom  Lon- 
don. This  Palace  is  at  present  Her  Majesty's 
most  magnificent  and  charming  summer  resi- 
dence. As  we  left  London,  for  several  miles 
the  view  appeared  like  one  continuous  city ; 
but  at  length  nature  looked  out  and  smiled 
upon  us,  all  robed  in  green,  and  adorned  with 
luxui-iant  fields  of  grain,  inclosed  by  fine 
rounded  hedges;  then  heavy  forests,  or  little 
groves  and  parks;  thrifty  farm-houses,  with 
plenty  smiling  at  their  doors ;  and  beauty  and 
loveliness  in  all  the  landscape.  The  first 
glimpse  I  caught  of  this  renowned  Castle,  as 
it  crowned  one  of  nature's  grand  and  rocky 
embattlements,  its  towers  and  walls  loomed  up, 
like  visions  of  airy  castles  seen  in  early  dreams. 


WINDSOR     CASTLE.  101 

As  we  approached,  and  winding  around  its 
rocky  height  until  we  reached  King  Henry 
the  Eighth's  gateway,  the  illusion  vanished, 
and  reality,  in  massive  walls,  and  lofty  turrets, 
looked  down  on  us  with  all  their  weight  of 
years.  The  witching  imagery  which  had  be- 
guiled many  hours  of  early  days,  when  my 
own  imagination  had  interwoven  threads  into 
the  history  of  this  venerable  Castle,  now^  came 
up  to  demand  their  truthfulness.  At  the  en- 
trance, the  first  thing  my  eye  rested  on  was  a 
formal  line  of  military  knights,  Avho  were 
standing  as  stiff  and  motionless  as  wooden 
men,  entirely  upsetting  my  cherished  ideas  of 
chivalrous  knighthood.  As  w^e  advanced, 
wdiat  grandeur  and  untold  wealth  greeted  us ! 
Her  Majesty  not  being  there,  we  were  allow- 
ed to  pass  through  all  the  state  and  private 
apartments,  except  her  sleeping  rooms. 

The  Audience  Chamber  is  gorgeous  in 
decorations,  the  walls  are  hung  in  Gobelin 
Tapestry,  wrought  in  significant  representa- 
tions in  the  life  of  Queen  Esther.  The  ceil- 
ing is  an  allegorical  painting  of  Queen  Kath- 
arine, personifying  Britannia,  who  is  seated 
in  a  chariot  drawn  by  swans,  and  attended  by 


102  LEAFLETS.  ^^ 

#1 

Flora,  bound  for  the  Temple  oi  Virtue,  which 
is  represented  in  the  distance.  There  are 
many  other  rooms  crowded  with  interest  and 
beauty,  which  would  l^eggar  my  powers  of  de- 
scription; such  as  the  Van  Dyck  Room,  with 
its  walls  of  portiaits  and  pictures;  the  Queen's 
Drawing  Room,  hung  with  crimson  silk  dam- 
ask; the  Waterloo  Chamber;  the  Presence 
Chamber,  with  its  heavy  carved  doors,  open- 
ing in  the  Throne  Room.  Then  came  the 
Waterloo  Gallery,  and  St.  George's  Hall,  the 
furniture  of  which  is  solid  gilt,  such  as  royal- 
ty repose  upon.  There  is  heraldry  enough 
displayed  in  one  of  these  rooms  to  furnish 
study  for  months.  In  the  last  room  we  enter- 
ed, we  saw  many  old  relics,  and  unique 
specimens  of  workmanship.  On  leaving,  v,e 
passed  down  the  grand  stair-case  which  com- 
municated with  the  hall  beneath,  then  into 
the  vestibule,  which  is  forty-seven  feet  in 
length,  and  twenty-eight  in  width,  and  richly 
decorated. 

We  gained  access  to  the  Chapel  connected 
with  the  Palace,  the  interior  of  which  is  re- 
markably beautiful.  The  pavement  is  inlaid 
in  diamond  shapes  of  black  and  white  mar- 


WINDSOR     CASTLE.  lOB 

ble ;  the  varied  tracery  on  the  ceilings ;  the 
displa}^  of  banners  and  heraldry ;  the  chair  of 
the  Sovereign,  canopied  with  rich  velvet,  em- 
broidered with  gold;  the  grand  organ,  to- 
gether with  the 

"Storied  windows  richly  diglit, 
Casting  a  dim  religious  light," 

all  inspire  admiration  and  reverence;  yet  I 
trembled  with  horror  when  I  found  myself 
standing  over  the  dust  of  the  infamous  Henry 
the  Eighth,  who  is  here  interred ;  but  mother 
earth  has  avenged  his  tyranny,  having  held 
his  form  in  her  mouldering  arms  for  nearly 
three  hundred  years,  giving  him  no  power  to 
sway  the  usurper's  sceptre.  At  the  farther 
end  of  the  same  Chapel  is  the  wonderful  ceno- 
taph to  the  memory  of  the  Princess  Charlotte, 
which  never  fails  to  call  forth  the  warmest 
expressions  of  enthusiasm.  The  spirit  is 
represented  as  having  just  left  the  form,  which 
is  below  embedded  in  the  cold  marble;  the 
agony  of  the  death-struggle  seems  to  have  left 
its  impress,  as  fearfully  revealed  beneath  the 
thin  sheet  which  wraps  the  entire  body,  ex- 
cept one  hand.  Four  female  figures,  in  mourn- 
ful attitudes,  kneel  around  the  dead  body, 

9 


104  LEAFLETS. 

with  their  heads  covered.  Just  above  there 
is  another  group,  the  centre  figure  represent- 
ing the  spirit  of  the  Princess  ascending  to 
lieaven,  supported  and  attended  by  two  angels, 
one  of  which  is  folding  gently  in  its  arms 
the  spirit  of  the  infiint, 

*'  The  tiny  flower,  wliose  fatal  birth, 
Destroyed  the  parent  stem." 

The  rays  of  light  falling  from  a  window  of 
orange  and  purple,  and  resting  on  the  spirit- 
ual forms  of  the  ascending  group,  produces  a 
celestial  effect. 

Windsor  Castle,  with  its  vast  pile  of  archi- 
tecture and  spacious  court-yards,  extends  over 
an  area  of  not  less  than  thirty  acres.  The 
terrace  on  the  north  affords  an  extensive  pros- 
pect, comprising  a  variety  of  pleasing  views, 
consisting  of  meadows,  dense  forests,  sun- 
lit hills,  noblemen's  mansions,  and  ancient 
castles  and  towers,  to  which  may  be  added 
the  river  Thames — as  if  conscious  of  its  im- 
portance— winding  its  way  through  shaded 
valleys,  until  lost  in  the  dim  distance.  Leav- 
ing this  terrace,  we  ascended  over  one  hun- 
dred steps,  to  the  top  of  the  old  round 
tower,  which  is  an  extraordinary  structure, 


WINDSOR     CASTLE.  105 

and  an  imposing  feature  of  the  Castle.  In 
1C69  it  was  used  as  a  prison,  but  at  present  is 
merely  looked  at  as  a  relic.  On  reaching  the 
top  we  gained  a  view  of  the  Great  Park,  the 
Virginia  Water,  and  the  romantic  scenery  of 
Surrey  hills.  As  soon  as  we  descended,  we 
took  leave  of  the  Castle  and  grounds,  and  se- 
curing an  open  carriage,  drove  out  of  the 
town. 

The  first  object  of  interest  that  attracted 
our  attention  was  Eaton  College,  and  its  ex- 
tensive grounds,  in  which  we  saw  hundreds 
of  boys,  all,  even  to  the  smaller  ones,  w^ear- 
ing  tall  stove-pipe  hats,  and  engaged  in  all 
manner  of  gymnastic  sports.  The  roads  were 
in  excellent  order,  and  the  drive  a  charming 
one.  The  trees,  and  every  shrub,  were  gay 
amid  their  bloom;  while  the  glad  sun-light 
and  fresh  breeze  diffused  beauty  and  joyous- 
ness  on  all  our  w^ay ;  and  could  we  but  rejoice 
with  nature  in  all  her  loveliness  7  The  zephyrs 
scattered  the  yellow  flowers  of  the  laburnum 
trees  very  unceremoniously  into  our  faces,  as 
they  went  skimming  through  the  air  as  thickly 
as  snow-flakes.  We  stopped  a  few  moments 
and  wandered  among  the  old  graves,  whose 


106  LEAFLETS. 

green  mounds  still  surround  the  quaint  Nor- 
man Church  at  Upton.  Here,  we  are  told, 
that  llerschel  is  buried,  in  whose  memory  I 
broke  a  sprig  from  a  venerable,  yet  singularly 
knotted  yew  tree,whose  outspreading  branches 
must  have  defied  the  ])lasts  of  centuries. 

As  we  continued  our  ride,  we  reached  a 
place  called  Slough,  the  residence  of  Herschel, 
where  he  lived,  and  where  he  died ;  he  whose 
name,  as  his  immortal  fame,  will  ever  live 
among  the  stars.  In  the  open  lawn  of  his 
garden  we  saw  the  frame  of  the  great  teles- 
cope, through  which  his  eye  had  often  wan- 
dered into  the  vast  expanse  of  blue,  to  revel 
amid  the  steller  hosts  ;  but  now  the  spiritual 
eye  of  this  wonderful  man,  far  in  worlds 
above,  has  no  need  of  such  an  instrument  to 
assist  his  unlimited  vision. 

Leaving  this  thrillingly  interesting  place, 
we  entered  a  Park  called  the  Elysian  Fields, 
where  we  saw  hundreds  of  soft-haired  fawns, 
skipping  and  playing  on  the  green  grass,  or 
beside  the  meandering  streams,  and  lovingly 
nestling  beneath  the  cooling  shadows  of  the 
trees.  In  this  Park  we  passed  the  mansion, 
the  family  residence  ol  William  Penn. 


GRAVE      OF      GRAY.  107 

It  was  even-tide  when  we  reached  the  con- 
secrated shrine,  and  the  long  shadows  were 
stretching  their  slender  arms  across  the  fields, 
as  we  stood  beside  the  grave  of  the  im- 
mortal Gray,  whose  dust  reposes  beneath  a 
plain  marble  slab,  in  the  shade  of  the  old 
Stuke  Pogis  Church,  and  under  the  '^  ivy-man- 
tled tower,"  where 

'•The  Curfew  tolls  the  knell  of  parting  day,"' 

The  same  slab,  on  which  his  name  is  in- 
scribed, has  long  marked  his  mother's  grave ; 
and  on  it,  beneath  the  thickly  spreading 
branches  of  a  yew-tree,  he  wrote  his  imperish- 
tal  elegy.  As  we  wandered  in  this  seques- 
tered church-yard,  in  fancy  I  could  hear 
''the  moping  owl  complain  to  the  moon,"  be- 
cause our  footsteps  dared  to  "molest  her  an- 
cient, solitary  reign." 

•'  Beneath  those  rugged  elms,  that  yew-tree's  shade, 
Where  heaves  the  turf  in  many  a  mouldering  heap, 
Kach  in  his  narrow  cell  forever  laid, 
The  rude  forefathers  of  the  hamlet  sleep." 

In    the    open   field,    at   a   little   distance, 

England,  proud  of  her  son,  now  dead,  hUs 

erected    a   fine   monument   to    his   memory. 

Climbing   over    a   rude    fence,    we    wended 

9* 


108  LEAFLETS. 

through  the  tall,  damp  grass,  until  we  were 
near  enough  to  read  the  brief,  but  truthful, 
inscriptions,  besides  several  quotations  from 
Ins  immortal  poetry. 

I  am  agreeably  disappointed  in  the  man- 
ners and  social  characters  of  the  English 
people.  Even  our  landlady,  who,  at  first, 
seemed  like  a  walking  icicle,  now  appears 
genial,  and  even  loving.  I  had  heard  so  much 
about  rank  and  caste,  which,  like  a  weight  or 
girdle,  binds  down  society,  and  prevents  the 
social  elements  finding  their  own  level,  that 
I  had  really  supposed,  in  coming  to  London, 
as  far  as  society  was  concerned,  it  would  he 
like  rushing  into  the  midst  of  a  winter  of  Al- 
pine snows,  that  would  perfectly  wither  all 
the  warmth  of  any  loving  heart.  The  appa- 
rent coldness  of  every  one  did,  for  some  time, 
prevent  a  ftimiliar  approach  by  the  many  let- 
ters of  introduction  with  which  our  friends  had 
kindly  furnished  us.  But  the  truth  is,  that 
we  have,  until  within  a  few  days,  had  more  to 
do  with  sight-seeing  and  names  of  those  who 
have  lived  ^'long  ago,"  than  with  the  people 
and  present  of  London.  We  decided,  however, 
to  present  a  letter,  given  us  by  our  good  and 


ENGLISH      FAMILY.  109 

noble  friend,  Dr.  S ,  of  New  York,  to  Mr. 

C ,  of  London,  who  had  himself  twice  visit- 
ed America,  once  as  a  delegate  to  the  Bi])le 
Society ;  and,  at  another  time,  in  company 
with  his  family,  traveled  through  the  United 
States.  We  were,  very  soon  after,  invited 
to  dine  with  this  family,  which  was  gladly 
accepted,  as  we  were  anxious  to  learn  some- 
thing of  household  joys  around  an  English 
hearth-stone.  I  assure  you  I  can  never  find 
words  that  will  convey  to  you  my  apprecia- 
tion of  the  generous  welcome  they  gave  us  ; 
how  kindly  and  even  lovingly  they  dealt  with 
our  stranger  hearts  ;  we  were  at  once  hemmed 
by  ''love's  strong  hold."  We  arrived  there 
about  six  o'clock  P.  M.,  and  found  that  seve- 
ral intelligent  and  refined  persons,  with  two 
or  three  ministers,  and  their  wives,  had  been 
invited  to  join  us  there.  In  a  little  time  we 
were  summoned  to  surround  the  table,  which 
was  loaded  with  all  the  luxuries  that  com- 
plete a  genuine  English  dinner.  Our  Ameri- 
can temperance  principles  were,  however, 
somewhat  shocked,  on  observing  four  glasses, 
arranged  at  each  plate,  which  were  in  turn 
filled  with  wine  and  liquors.     This  is  a  jjre- 


110  LEAFLETS. 

vailing  custom  throughout  all  England.  Even 
the  clergy,  at  the  present  day,  retire  to  the 
vestry,  after  service,  to  drink  their  glass  of 
wine  and  eat  a  piece  of  cake,  which  the  Sex- 
ton understands  as  one  of  his  duties  to  pro- 
vide. 


CHAPTER    X. 

TOMB    OF     THOMSON  — POPE'S     G  R  OTT  0  — II  A  \I  I'TO  V 
COURT    PALACE  — CRYSTAL    PALACK. 

June  bth. ' 
What  pleasant  memories  have  been  awak- 
ened to-day  in  recalling  the  past !  and  how, 
the  moments  have  seemed  to  glide  away  amid 
scenes  of  present  loveliness !  To-day  we  have 
been  treading  on  classic  ground.  At  Rich- 
mond— in  an  old  church-yard,  where  the  birds 
were  singing  sweetly,  and  the  wild  flowers 
were  blooming,  and  the  tall,  rank  grass  was 
growing  luxuriantly — there  Thomson,  the 
poet,  is  sleeping  peacefully.  As  w^e  stood  by 
his  grave,  how  his  brilliant  genius  appeared 
before  us  !  and  his  beautiful  and  soul-stirring 
effusions,  long  treasured  in  our  hearts,  were 
here  recalled,  in  all  their  freshness. 

Leaving  Richmond,  we  came  to  Twicken- 
ham, where  Pope  lived,  w^rote  and  died,  and 
where  his  Grotto  still  remains,  into  which  we 
were  only  allowed  to  glance.     At  every  step, 


112  LEAFLETS. 

we  fancied  we  could  catch  the  notes  from  his 
immortal  lyre.  Even  the  leaves  on  the  trees 
growing  in  his  garden,  as  they  quivered  or 
rustled  in  the  gentle  breeze,  were  music  to 
his  memory.  His  remains  are  in  the  village 
church  ;  and  there,  on  a  monumental  tablet, 
erected  to  his  memory,  we  found  a  medallion 
head  of  the  great  poet,  beneath  which  is  this 
peculiar  and  original  inscription  : 

*'FOR   ON'K    WHO    WOULD    NOT     BE    IJURIEI)    IN    WESTMINSTER    ABfJEY. 

"  Heroes  and  kings,  your  distance  keep ! 
In  peace  let  one  poor  poet  sleep, 
Who  never  flattered  folks  like  you : 
Let  Horace  blush,  and  Virgil,  too!" 

After  riding  a  few  miles  along  a  charming 
road,  (and,  by  the  way,  all  the  roads  are  good 
in  the  environs  of  London,)  we  arrived  at 
Hampton  Court  Palace,  once  a  royal  resi- 
dence, built  by  Cardinal  Wolsey,  about  the 
year  1515,  at  the  time  he  had  attained  the 
summit  of  his  power  and  glory.  When  it 
was  completed,  it  surpassed,  in  elegance  and 
in  grandeur,  all  the  palaces  of  England.  King 
Henry  the  Eighth,  then  on  the  throne,  jeal- 
ousy admiring  its  magnificence,  one  day  asked 
the  Cardinal  his  intentions  and  his  motives 


HAMPTON   COURT   PALACE.    115 

in  building  such  a  grand  residence.  The 
Cardinal's  keen  penetration  detected  the  de- 
sign of  the  King  in  asking  this  question,  as  its 
costliness  had  already  excited  the  envy  of  the 
Court.  He  quickly  and  ingenuously  replied  : 
"that  he  had  built  a  palace  worthy  of  so 
great  a  monarch,  and  that  Hampton  Court 
Palace  was  the  property  of  King  Henry  the 
Eighth."  The  Cardinal's  reply,  a  shrewd 
stroke  of  policy  on  his  part,  is  said  greatly  to 
have  pleased  the  proud  and  ambitious  King, 
who  afterward  bestowed  upon  him  many  fa- 
vors, in  return  giving  him  the  old  and  favor- 
ite manor  of  Richmond,  greatly  to  the  annoy- 
ance of  the  old  servants  of  Henry  the  Seventh, 
who  considered  Wolsey  an  upstart.  From 
this  time,  Hampton  Court  Palace  became  the 
home  of  royalty,  and  during  the  reign  of 
Henry  the  Eighth,  it  was  a  constant  scene  of 
brilliant  display  and  extravagant  festivity. 
Edward  the  Sixth  resided  here  during  his 
short  reign.  Queen  Mary,  and  Philip  of 
Spain,  passed  their  honeymoon  here,  in  re- 
tirement. Queen  Elizabeth,  also,  lived  here, 
in  "  single  blessedness,"  not  willing  to  share 
her  glory  with  another.     The  death  of  Eliza- 


^ 


114  LEAFLETS. 

be  til  united  the  crowns  of  England  and  Scot- 
land, when  James  the  Sixth,  of  Scotland, 
became,  also,  King  of  England,  when  this  be- 
came one  of  his  favorite  palaces ;  and  it  was 
here  that  his  lovely  Queen,  Anna,  died,  in 
1618.  Charles  the  First,  who  succeeded  him 
and  Queen  Henrietta,  fled  to  this  palace,  fear- 
ful of  the  plague  that  was  then  raging  in  Lon- 
don ;  but,  alas !  in  a  few  years  after,  it  proved 
to  be  an  asylum  from  a  calamity  more  to  be 
dreaded  than  the  plague.  The  clamor  of  in- 
surrection, however,  made  this  retirement 
brief  The  turbulent  spirit  of  the  times  caused 
his  crown  to  press  painfully  upon  his  throb- 
bing brow;  for  shortly  after  which,  he  was 
detained  here,  in  splendid  imprisonment,  un- 
til he  effected  an  escape  to  the  charming  Isle 
of  Wight,  when  the  fatal  events  of  a  few 
months  brought  him  to  the  scaffold — not  un- 
frequently  the  fate  of  Kings  in  those  days. 
William  the  Third  did  much  to  beautify  these 
grounds  during  his  reign.  George  the  First 
held  his  court  here  ;  while  George  the  Second 
and  his  Queen,  Caroline,  were  the  last  sover- 
eigns who  resided  at  Hampton  Court  Palace. 
There  is  no  royal  residence  in  England  richer 


HAMPTON   COURT   PALACE.     115 

in  thrilling  historical  events  than  this.  How 
closely  interwoven  with  the  history  of  this 
palace  is  that  of  Queens  Mary  and  Elizabeth, 
who  both  spent  many  of  their  days  here. 

Mary,  the  eldest  daughter  of  King  Henry 
the  Eighth,  was  born,  February,  1517,  at 
Greenwich.  At  the  death  of  her  half-brother, 
Edward  the  Sixth,  she  was  proclaimed  Queen, 
July,  1553,  and  in  October  of  the  same  year 
she  was  crowned.  She  was  married  to  Philip 
of  Spain  in  1554,  and,  as  I  have  stated,  they 
spent  a  few  weeks  after  their  marriage  in  this 
palace.  Philip  was  several  years  younger 
than  Mary,  and  was  very  ambitious,  expect- 
ing, by  this  relation,  to  come  in  possession  of 
the  crown  of  England,  or,  at  least,  to  share 
it  jointly  with  the  Queen.  When  she  refused 
both,  he  abandoned  her  and  returned  to  Spain. 
During  Queen  Mary's  reign,  persecutions  raged 
fiercely,  and  she  was  guilty  of  many  shocking 
deeds,  which  have,  for  all  time,  crimsoned  a 
name  known  only  as  '' Bloody  Mary."  Even 
Cranmer — who,  at  one  time  was  her  benefac- 
tor, and  was  the  means  of  saving  her  life 
when  her  father  determined  on  her  death, 

because  she  adhered  to  her  mother,  and  re- 

10 


IIG  LEAFLETS. 

fused  to  .sul)iiiit  to  him — as  his  only  reward 
for  all  this,  she  caused  him  to  be  Inirnt  at  the 
stake,  for  no  other  reason  than  that  he  did 
not  religiously  believe  as  she  did.  She  died 
as  siie  had  lived,  with  but  few  to  mourn  her 
death,  November  7,  1558,  in  the  forty-second 
year  of  her  age.-  Elizabeth,  who  had  sub- 
mitted to  her  half-sister's  cruel  tyranny,  by 
being  imprisoned  several  times,  now  proud- 
ly ascended  the  throne.  Her  long  reign  is 
known  in  history  as  the  "  Elizabethan  Age," 
in  which  spring  up  names,  still  Hashing  in 
the  world  of  learning,  as  brilliant  meteors 
or  dazzling  luminaries.  What  other  age  can 
boast  of  such  names  as  Spencer,  Shakespeare, 
Bacon,  Raleigh,  and  many  others,  who  gained 
their  celebrity  during  her  reign  ?  Elizabeth 
was  herself  a  splendid  scholar,  endowed  with 
talents  which  were  cultivated  and  refined  by 
education.  She  was  commanding  and  grace- 
ful in  person,  without  beauty  of  face,  except 
an  animated  expression,  and  large,  lustrous 
eyes,  which  at  times  Hashed  hre  at  those 
who  had  incurred  her  displeasure.  Her  dis- 
position was  not  considered  amiable;  never- 
theless, she  was  a  noble  Queen.     She  refused 


HAMPTON      COURT     PALACE.  117 

every  offer  of  marriage,  as  I  have  said,  de- 
claring tliat  she  was  satisfied  with  her  coro- 
nation vows,  which  married  her  to  the  people 
of  her  kingdom,  choosing  to  be  called  in  life, 
and  epithetcd  in  death,  as  the  "Virgin 
Queen."  She  was  as  firm  a  Protestant  as 
Mary  was  a  Catholic.  It  is  related  of  her 
that,  at  one  time,  when  pressed  by  a  priest  to 
declare  her  opinion  in  regard  to  the  real  body 
of  Christ,  in  the  holy  wafer,  she  answered  him 
in  an  impromptu  verse : 

•'  Christ  was  the  word  tliat  spake  it ; 
Ht'  took  the  bread  and  brake  it ; 
And  what  the  Word  did  make  it, 
That  I  beUeve,  and  take  it." 

The  greatest  blot  on  the  page  of  her  queen- 
ly history  is  the  imprisonment  and  execution 
of  her  cousin,  Mary  Queen  of  Scots.  Her 
innocence  of  the  crime  of  which  she  was 
charged,  and  her  natural  loveliness,  will  never 
allow  the  stain  to  be  fully  erased  from  the 
memory  of  Elizabeth.  She  died  March  24th, 
1602,  at  the  great  age  of  sixty-nine  ^'Cars. 

This  palace  still  remains  splendidly  fur- 
nished, every  apartment  bearing  the  impress 
of  its  former  grandeur.     The  walls  are  paint- 


118  LEAFLETS. 

ed  in  florid  style,  and  many  of  the  ceilings 
are  covered  with  allegorical  figures,  and  ele- 
gantly wrought  wood-work,  of  curious  design. 
The  walls  are  hung  with  over  one  thousand 
paintings,  many  of  them  by  the  old  masters. 
In  one  of  the  rooms  are  the  veritable  car- 
toons of  Raphael,  executed  in  the  year  1520, 
by  an  order  of  Pope  Leo  the  Tenth,  to  deco- 
rate the  pontifical  apartments  of  the  Vatican, 
when  copied  in  tapestry.  They  represent  a 
series  of  incidents  taken  from  the  life  of  our 
Saviour,  and  the  acts  of  the  Apostles.  Ra- 
phael was  afterwai'd  invited  to  Rome,  and 
introduced  to  the  Pope,  under  whose  patron- 
age he  developed  those  wonderful  talents 
which  crowned  him  ''Prince  of  Painters," 
and  gave  him  the  well-known  title  of  "Ra- 
phael the  Divine."  He  died  at  the  early  age 
of  thirty-seven,  leaving  his  immortal  painting 
of  the  "Transfiguration"  still  wet  on  the  can- 
vas, which  was  carried  before  him  to  his 
tomb,  in  the  Pantheon  at  Rome.  1  must 
acknowledge  I  felt  a  devotional  yielding  of 
my  knees,  as  1  stood  before  what  seemed  to 
be  a  kind  oi'  divinity  of  art,  the  wonderful 
productions  of  his  pure,  celestial-like  genius. 


HAMPTON     COURT     PALACE.  119 

I  pray,  do  not,  however,  from  my  own  enthu- 
siastic acknowledgments,  accuse  me  of  pic- 
ture-worship. To  be  an  idolater  before  visit- 
ing the  mid-day  splendors  of  art  at  the 
Louvre,  in  Paris,  or  the  Vatican,  in  Rome, 
would,  I  am  sure,  be  premature  homage  to 
art.  To  do  as  the  Romans  do,  is  to  bow  be- 
fore every  painted  daub,  where  there  is  the 
famtest  outline  of  a  saint's  head.  I  can  never 
thus  kneel  before  the  altars  of  superstition  ; 
but  genius  will  ever  maintain  a  holy  altar, 
before  which  I  joy  to  bow. 

I  cannot  leave  this  charming  spot  without 
taking  you  with  me,  a  few  moments,  at  least, 
into  the  grounds  and  gardens  of  the  Palace. 
The  walks  must  be  three  miles  in  extent. 
The  buikling  of  itself  covers  an  area  of  eight 
acres.  The  broad  avenues,  formed  by  elms 
and  lime-trees,  reach  out  in  straight  lines, 
from  the  lake  in  the  centre,  trimmed  to  form 
tunnels,  and  extending  archways.  The  com- 
pass and  nurseryman's  shears  have  changed 
the  graceful  hollies  and  yews  into  peacocks, 
birds  and  animals,  and  hundreds  of  curious 
shapes  and  forms,  which,  in  my  opinion, 
divests  Nature  of   much  of  her  beauty.     I 

10^^ 


120  LEAFLETS. 

cannot  think  that  it  is  the  prerogative  of  art 
to  interfere  to  any  extent  with  trees  and 
shrubs,  except  in  a  careful  cultivation,  allow- 
ing them  to  grow  free  and  graceful.  By  pay- 
ing an  English  sixpence,  we  were  permitted 
to  enter  the  green-houses,  where  still  remain 
a  few  rare  plants,  and  some  large  orange-trees, 
bearing  fruit.  The  chief  object  of  interest, 
however,  is  the  immense  vine  growing  there, 
the  largest  in  all  Europe,  and  thought  by 
many  to  be  the  largest  in  the  world.  The 
main  vme  is  over  one  hundred  feet  long,  with 
numerous  branch-vines.  In  its  season,  it 
abundantly  supplies  the  royaP  table  with 
thousands  of  clusters. 

After  amusing,  pu/zling,  and  enjoying  our- 
selves trying  to  discover  the  intricacies  of  the 
maze,  or  labyrinth,  we  lelt  the  ground> through 
the  magnificent  ''Lion  Gate,"  and  emerged  at 
once  into  a  grand  forest  of  chesnut-trees,  run- 
ning off  in  broad  avenues  in  every  direction, 
miles  in  extent,  through  which  we  passed  on 
our  way  home. 

How  I  do  wish  that,  for  once,  the  sun  would 
shine  out  clear  and  bright,  as  it  does  in  Amer- 
ica.    This  impenetrable,  misty  vail,  forever 


CRYSTAL      PALACE 


121 


hanging  over  us,  is  enough  to  give  any  one 
the  bhies.     This  unceasing,  drizzling  rain  is 
anything  but  agreeable  to  those  who  are  sight- 
seeing.    Still,  we  do  not  allow  the  weather  to 
interfere  with  our  plans;  for,  this  morning,  in 
the  rain,  we  jumped   into   an   omnibus,  and 
rode  to  the  depot,  where  we  purchased  our 
tickets  for   Sydenham,  and  it  was  not  long 
before  we  were  in  sight  of  the  magnificent 
Crystal  Palace.     Our  miniature  Crystal  Pal- 
ace in  New  York,  now  reduced  to  ashes,  was 
only  a  mere  toy  in  comparison  to  this  mam- 
moth transparent  building,  looming  up  before 
us.     Leaving  the  cars,  we  entered  the  Palace 
by  a  glass-covered  colonade,  adorned  on  either 
side   with   creeping  vines,  and   an    array  of 
flowering  plants,  into  the  immense  structure, 
which  consists  of  a  grand  central  naive  and 
two    side   aisles,   two   main   galleries,    three 
transepts,  and  two  wings.     The  entire  length 
of  the   building,  including  the  wings,  is  two 
thousand  seven  hundred    and  fifty-six    feet. 
There  is  excellent,  as  well  as  exquisite,  taste 
maniiested  in  the  arrangement  of  the  flowers, 
of  almost  every  hue  and  form,  from  every  clime ; 
while  plants,  shrubs  and  trees  wave  their  fo- 


122  LEAFLETS. 

liage  in  harmony  with  other  forms  of  beauty, 
presenting  a  picturesque  back-ground,  reliev- 
ing the  white  statues  standing  thickly  grouped, 
along  the  nave;  while  the  blue  aerial  tint  re- 
flecting from  the  arched  roof,  renders  an  addi- 
tional charm  to  the  various  industrial  and  art 
courts.  The  whole  building  is  grand  and 
conspicuous,  tilled  with  almost  every  specimen 
of  art,  in  all  its  variety,  from  the  most  remote 
ages  down  to  modern  times.  I  lingered  long 
to  admire  the  "Alhambra  Court,"  the  miost 
beautiful  of  all  the  reproductions  of  the  an- 
cient palaces.  Its  architecture  is  Saracenic  or 
Moresque,  which  sprang  Ironi  the  Romanesque ; 
the  interior  is  gorgeously  covered  with  the 
richest  Arabesque  work,  in  colored  stucco; 
the  pavement  is  Mosaic,  in  the  centre  of  which 
is  a  sparkling  fountain,  encircled  with  flow^ers, 
perfuming  the  air  with  fragrance.  This  ele- 
gant court  is  reproduced  from  the  vast  Fort- 
ress-Palace of  the  Alhambra,  constructed 
under  Moorish  rule  in  the  city  of  Granada, 
South  of  Spain,  in  the  thirteenth  century. 

Among  the  many  w^onders  we  saw  exhibit- 
ed in  this  Palace  that  interested  me  most, 
was  the  bark  of  an  immense  tree,  which  had 


CRYSTAL      PALACE.  123 

been  cut  in  pieces  to  facilitate  transportation 
such  a  distance.  It  is  here  arranged  just  as 
it  grew  on  the  tree,  which  was  once  deeply 
rooted  in  the  soil  oi'  California,  where  it 
attained  the  gigantic  height  of  four  hundred 
feet.  Fancy  to  yourself  such  a  tree,  with  its 
forest  of  branches  and  a  canopy  of  foilage, 
that  must  have  appeared  like  the  outspreading 
of  the  curtain  of  heaven.  The  bark  as  it 
now  stands  on  the  tloor,  forms  a  room  within 
large  enough  to  hold  forty  or  fifty  persons. 
Dr.  Lindley  has  named  it  the  ''  Wellingtonia 
gigantia,"  and  says  that  its  age  must  be  four 
thousand  years.  A  specimen  of  the  wood  was 
also  shown,  which  is  light  cedar,  and  as- 
serted to  be  the  same  as  the  "  Cedars  of  Leb- 
anon." What  a  grand  old  tree  this  must  have 
been  when  Solomon  built  his  beautiful  temple 
at  Jerusalem  1  In  the  afternoon,  four  thousand 
children,  from  the  Orphan  Asylum  were  ar- 
ranged on  graded  seats  under  the  central 
dome,  and  at  three  o'clock  P.  M.,  an  audience 
of  twentv  thousand  were  assembled  in  front 
of  them,  to  listen  to  their  singing.  The  pecu- 
liarity of  their  dress,  and  the  arrangement  of 
each  school,  made  the  sight  a  singular  and 


124  LEAFLETS. 

pleasing  one,  and  the  waving  of  their  hand- 
kerchiefs in  concert  called  forth  the  most  en- 
thusiastic demonstrations  from  the  audience. 
We  were  reminded  of  the  new  song  of  the 
'' hundred,  forty  and  f  >ur  thousand"  on  Mount 
Zion,  when  all  these  little  bird-like  voices 
joined  in  glad  alleluiahs,  swelling,  as  they 
swept,  in  strains  of  seraphic  music  through 
these  extensive  and  lovely  aisles,  which  ap- 
peared all  glorious,  like  unto  the  Temple 
made  without  hands,  of  jasper  stone,  clear 
as  crystal.  ''God  save  the  Queen"  found 
a  response  in  every  heart;  and  Luther's 
Judgment  Hymn  was  extraordinary  in  its 
effect,  accompanied  at  intervals  by  a  trum- 
pet, which  sounded  loud  and  Icmg.  After 
these  exercises  closed,  the  fountains  in  the 
Palace-grounds,  which  only  play  on  grand  oc- 
casions, where  allowed  to  send  into  the  air 
their  thousand  sparkling  jets,  to  gratify  these 
dear  little  orphans.  But  heavy  showers  pre- 
vented our  examining  the  grounds  carefully, 
and  we  left  with  the  promise  to  come  at 
another  time. 


CHAPTER   XL 

WHITFIELD'S    CH  A  PEL— LOXDO  N    DO  CKS  — G  RE  EN  W  I  CH 

OBSERVATORY  — NATIONAL    GALLERY— BUN - 

HILL    FIELDS    BURYING    GROUNDS. 

June  Sth. 
Last  evening  we  heard  the  Rev.  Mr.  Pun- 
shon  lecture  in  Whitfield's  Chapel,  on  Totten- 
ham Court  Road,  a  second  Cathedral  of 
Methodism,  the  first  stone  of  which  was  laid 
May  10th,  1756,  and  opened  for  divine  service 
the  following  November,  when  the  immortal 
Whitfield  chained  an  immense  audience  by 
one  of  his  soul-stirring  discourses.  Here  his 
wife  is  buried,  and  on  a  tablet  in  this  Church, 
erected  to  her  memory,  is  also  an  inscription 
to  her  husband's,  whose  dust  still  makes  the 
soil  of  New  England  sacred.  We  had  hoped 
and  somewhat  anticipated  the  counterpart  of 
the  "  Prince  of  Preachers  "  in  the  talented 
Punshon,  as  suggested  of  him  when  he  deliv- 
ered his  famous  lecture  on  the  Huguenots. 
We  confess  to  our  disappointment,  it  proving 


126  LEAFLETS. 

at   this   time  to  bo  l)y  no  means,  one  of  his 
happy  efibrts. 

To-day  we  ha^e  vi>ited  the  great  ware- 
houses at  the  London  Docks  containing  large 
quantities  of  teas,  tobacco  and 'spices;  also 
the  Avine- vaults,  with  an  array  of  casks  ex- 
tending over  acres,  with  Bacchus  on  his 
throne,  as  supreuie  monarch.  Our  guide  led 
us  for  miles  through  these  damp  vaulted  hiby- 
rinths,  where  pipe  after  pipe  is  piled  up  on 
either  side,  and  informed  us  that  the  atmos- 
phere of  the  vaults  is  so  impregnated  with 
the  exhalations  of  the  liquors,  that  persons 
are  often  affected  by  it.  We  closely  examin- 
ed the  fungus,  a  curious  formation,  w^hich 
accumulates  on  these  extensive  walls,  from 
those  exhalations,  and  hanging  down,  in  many 
places,  in  graceful  festoons,  some  of  which 
were  gray  and  some  black,  the  gray  or  white 
indicating  the  greater  age  of  the  Avine. 

The  warehouses  were  filled  with  wealth,  in 
tortoise  and  mother-of-peaid  shells,  elephant's 
tusks,  silks,  Turkish  carpets,  and  sugar,  tea 
and  spices,  appearing  to  be  enough  to  supply 
a  nation,  if  not  the  world,  for  ages. 

Having  completed  our  tour  at  the  London 


GREENWICH.  127 

Docks,  we  took  a  small  steamer  for  Green- 
wich, enjoying  a  charming  sail  on  the  Thames. 
As  soon  as  we  arrived  we  proceeded  to  the  Ob- 
servatory, which  is  situated  on  an  eminence 
not  far  distant,  one  of  the  great  light-houses 
of  the  world  of  science.  On  our  return,  we 
stopped  at  the  Marine  Hospital,  where  we 
saw  hundreds  of  old  naval  officers  and  soldiers, 
many  of  whom  had  fought  under  the  com- 
mand of  the  brave  Nelson,  whose  name  and 
memory  they  almost,  if  not  quite,  deify.  It 
was  amusing  and  interesting  to  hear  them  re- 
late their  adventures,  and  then  point  from  their 
mutilated  bodies  to  the  trophies  of  their  vic- 
tories. At  none  of  these  relics  did  I  gaze 
with  such  a  thrill  of  emotion  as  at  the  coat 
and  waistcoat  worn  by  Nelson  when  he  fell  on 
the  quarter-deck  of  the  "  Victory "  at  the 
memorable  battle  of  Trafalgar,  with  the  stains 
of  his  death  wound  still  visible  upon  them. 

It  is  still  dark  and  rainy,  but  I  hie  me 
away  for  enjoyment  to  the  National  Gallery, 
situated  on  the  north  side  of  Trafalgar 
Square,  looking  out  on  the  imposing  monu- 
ment erected  to  the  memory  of  the  hero  who 

fell  at  the  place  from  which  the  Square  de- 
ll 


128  LEAFLETS. 

rives  its  name.  Cloudy  skies,  with  wind  and 
rain,  were  soon  forgotten  in  this  little  world 
of  paintings,  composing  a  choice  collection, 
and  many  of  them  by  the  celebrated  old  mas- 
ters, as  Correggio,  Guido,  Michael  Angelo, 
Murillo,  Gasper,  Titian,  Van  Dyck,  Leonardo 
du  Vinci,  and  many  others.  While  lingering 
here  I  have  been  comparing  the  ^iictures  of 
these  great  artists  of  different  schools;  but 
none  seemed  to  me  to  combine  such  exquisite 
taste,  in  shading  and  colors,  with  beauty  and 
truthfulness,  as  those  of  Murillo. 

'  There  is  music  in  the  name, 
And  it  falls  upon  my  ear, 
Like  a  lute-note,  soft  and  clear — 
Is  it  strange  T  love  it  so?  " 

This  eminent  painter  belonged  to  the  Spanish 
school  of  the  sixteenth  century.  He  was 
born  January  1st,  1618,  and  died  at  the  age 
of  sixty-four,  by  falling  i'rom  the  scaffold 
where  he  was  painting  a  fresco.  In  this  gal- 
lery, I  found  but  three  of  his  paintings;  the 
Holy  Family,  lovingly  grouped  together;  St. 
John  and  the  Lamb,  so  extensively  known  by 
an  engraved  copy;  and  the  other  the  head  of 
a  boy. 


LONDON.  129" 

We  are  again  in  our  little  room,  after  an 
absence  of  two  days,  which  have  passed  de- 
lightfully among  those  we  have  learned  to 
love  in  England  as  friends. 

I  sometimes  sigh  for  home  in  this  month 
of  leaves  and  roses,  when  I  think  of  our  own 
blue  sky  and  genial  sunshine.  But  nature 
here  is  exceedingly  lavish  in  clothing  every- 
thing with  a  robe  of  beauty,  that  springs  from 
the  earth,  even  if  she  does  withhold  the  bright 
shining  of  the  sun.  Her  profuse  liberality 
in  watering  the  earth  causes  it  to  ^'  bud  and 
blossom  as  the  rose,"  and  to  bring  forth  abun- 
dantly. The  foliage  is  of  a  deep  glossy 
green,  and  extravagant  in  luxuriance.  The 
flowers  bloom  profusely,  but  are  not  as  rich  in 
fragrance  as  ours.  The  birds,  what  musicians ! 
In  all  our  excursions  in  the  country,  and  even 
in  the  parks  and  gardens  of  London,  we  have 
been  gratuitously  greeted  by  nature's  min- 
strels, warbling  their  choicest  and  richest 
melodies.  If  I  were  endowed  with  the  heaven- 
given  powers  of  Handel,  I  might  attempt  to 
convey  some  idea  of  the  captivating,  and 
perfectly  enrapturing,  song  of  the  night- 
ingale at  even-tide,  and  the  soul-thrilling  notes 


130  LEAFLETS. 

of  the  English  Lark,  as  she  springs  from  her 
dewy  nest  in  the  green  meadow,  at  early 
morn.  As  she  soars  from  the  ground,  and 
sweeps  gracefully  through  the  air,  in  circling 
eddies,  her  soft  low  notes  rise  and  swell  with 
her  narrowing  circles,  while  every  strain  is 
one  voluptuous  peal  of  melodious  music,  float- 
ing from  all  the  strings  of  nature's  lyre. 

Mr.  N was  invited  to  fill  the  pulpit  of 

a  Chapel  near  Clapham  Park.  In  England 
all  places  of  worship  not  of  the  Established 
Church  are  called  chapels,  and  the  clergymen 
of  such  are  styled  preachers.  But,  alas !  how 
many  times  I  transgressed  these  convention- 
alities by  calling  chapels  churches,  and  the 
preachers  clergymen.  We  spent  the  Sabbath 
with  Mr.  C — 's  family,  whom  we  had  previous- 
ly visited  so  pleasantly.  The  father  is  a  noble, 
princely  man,  and   a   faithful   priest  in    his 

household.     Mrs.  C is  a  real  lady,  and  an 

amiable  mother.  The  children  kind  and  lov- 
ing; the  two  eldest,  who  are  young  ladies,  are 
accomplished  and  beautiful,  and  devote  much 
of  their  time  and  talents  to  benevolent  enter- 
prises.    In  my  intercourse  with  them,  they 


mothers'   society.  131 

related  to  me  this  little  incident;    it  occurred 

in    connection    with    the    ladies'  association, 

known  as  the  Mothers'  Society,  which  had 

connected  with  it  a  valuable  and  well-selected 

library,   richly  laden  with   choice   Christian 

literature,   that  poor    and    destitute  women 

might  here  drink  from  a  pure  fountain.    Early 

one  morning  a  woman,  not  in  rags,  but  poorly 

clad,  called,  and  modestly  asked  for  a  book  to 

read,  and  what  book,  think  you,  she  asked 

for'^      It  was  the   Bible!  but  the  librarian, 

greatly  confused,  was  obliged  to  inform  her, 

there  was  not  a  Bible  in  the  library.      There 

were  ladies  connected  with  the  association, 

whose  duty,  and  even  pleasure,  it  was,  every 

day  to  scatter  the  precious  leaves  of  "  life's 

fair  tree,"  but  it  had  never  occurred  to  them 

that  any  one  would  call  at  this  library  to  read 

the  Book  of  books.     Yet  this  poor  woman, 

hungering  for  the   spiritual  food,  had  been 

driven  here  to  remind  these  Christian  ladies 

that  among  all  their  volumes  the  Lamp  of 

Life  did  not  illumine  their  library.     She  did 

not  leave,  however,  without  being   supplied 

with  bread,  which  our  Saviour  assures  us  "if  a 

man  eat  he  shall  never  hunger,"  and  that  wa- 

11-* 


132  LEAFLETS. 

ter  which  was  in  her,  ''a  well  of  water  spring- 
ing up  into  everlasting  life." 

In  the  morning,  we  were  in  attendance 
at  the  Sabbath  -  school,  which  reminded 
me    of  our    own    at    home,    though    it    was 

much     smaller  ;     after     which,     Mr.    N 

preached  to  a  large  and  interesting  audi- 
ence, and  again  in  the  evening. 

We  spent  the  afternoon  with  Miss  Pipe 
and  her  mother,  who  have  charge  of  a 
very  genteel  young  Ladies'  Boarding  School. 
Miss  Pipe,  the  principal,  is  a  brilliant 
lady,  in  whose  character  are  blended  the 
graces  of  the  spirit,  harmonizing  with  a 
thoroughly  cultivated  intellect.  We  dined 
with  the  ladies,  about  twenty  in  all,  and  sel- 
dom, if  ever,  have  I  seen  such  bright-eyed 
intelligence,  as  beamed  and  glowed  in  their 
smiling  faces.  The  principal  is  assisted  in 
every  department  of  the  school  by  the  best 
professors  from  the  city.  The  elegant  appear- 
ance of  the  table,  and  the  arrangement  of 
every  room  in  the  house ;  the  ample  and 
beautifully  adorned  grounds  and  gardens, 
where  the  ladies  are  allowed  to  wander  in  all 
their  quiet  loveliness — everything  conspires 


ENGLISH     ROCKERY.  133 

to  make  it  one  of  the   most  desirable  schools 
for  young  ladies  I  have  ever  visited. 

The  next  morning  we  made  our  grateful 
adieux  to  the  dear  family  who  had  so  kindly 
entertained  us,  and,  in  company  with  Misses 
Sarah  and  Edith,  the  eldest  daughters,  set  out 
on  our  second  visit  to  the  Crystal  Palace. 
Before  taking  the  cars,  we  called  at  Mr. 
G 's,  who  lives  in  a  palatial  home,  sur- 
rounded with  rural  grounds,  yet  adorned  with 

rare  beauty.     Mrs.  G ,  whom  we  had  met 

the  day  before  in  church,  we  found  to  be  an 
intelligent  lady,  who  has  in  her  possession 
several  letters  written  by  Adam  Clarke,  and 
some  valuable  manuscripts,  which  are  precious 
relics.  In  these  gardens  we  were  shown  an 
English  rockery,  the  first  I  had  ever  seen, 
unique  and  romantic,  but  truthful  in  its  imi- 
tation of  nature.  The  rocks  are  formed  from 
a  composition-cement  and  earth  into  cragged 
shapes,  rudely  piled  upon  each  other,  as  often 
seen  in  nature,  with  the  velvet  moss  and 
ferns  of  the  forest  growing  profusely  upon 
them,  in  native  wildness.  As  we  wandered 
through  these  rugged  pathways,  ever  and 
anon  we   observed    little  silver-like  streams 


134  LEAFLETS. 

winding  hither  and  thither,  then  trickling 
down  through  the  fissures  and  crevices,  mur- 
muring sweet  music,  until,  gathering  strength 
as  they  advance,  they  leap  over  the  mimic 
rocks  in  laughing  cascades,  forming  a  trans- 
parent lakelet  below,  on  the  pebbled  shore  ol 
which  are  I'ustic  seats,  shaded  by  overhang- 
ing willows  ;  the  scene  combining  all  the  soli- 
tude of  a  lone,  sequestered  dell. 

We  arrived  at  the  Crystal  Palace  about 
11  o'clock,  A.  M.,  and  walked  ibr  several 
hours  over  the  extensive  grounds,  which  we 
had  been  prevented  from  doing  at  a  previous 
visit,  in  consequence  of  the  rain.  On  the 
parapet  of  the  first  great  terrace  are  twenty- 
six  allegorical  statues,  representing  im- 
portant manufacturing  countries,  and  indus- 
trial cities  of  England  and  France,  which  im- 
pressed me  as  being  the  most  imposing  feature 
of  the  grounds.  The  Archery  and  Cricket 
grounds  are  exceedingly  attractive,  while  the 
Italian  and  English  landscapes  are  perfectly 
charming.  The  ''Rosery"  consists  of  an  ar- 
cade, formed  of  Arabesque  iron-work,  around 
which  are  twined  almost  every  variety  of 
roses,  filling   the   air   with    their   fragrance. 


CRYSTAL     PALACE.  135 

The  varied  lawns  and  sparkling  fountains; 
the  rare  trees,  shrubs  and  flowers,  everywhere 
tastefully  arranged,  reminds  one  ol'  Eden 
charmingly  restored. 

AYe  tarried  for  some  time  on  the  Grand 
Plateau,  examining  the  geological  restora- 
tions of  the  preadamic,  or  extinct  animals, 
fishes,  and  birds,  arranged  here  and  there  on 
an  island,  in  the  midst  of  a  small  lake.  They 
are  represented  as  huge  in  their  proportions, 
with  strange,  ungainly  forms,  which  Geology 
has  restored  to  us  from  fragments  found  em- 
bedded in  rocks.  These  islands,  with  their 
wonderful  scientific  illustrations  and  singular 
tenants,  dot  a  large  artificial  lake,  on  whose 
placid  bosom  were  fantastic  pleasure-boats,  of 
almost  every  size  and  form,  from  the  gay  Ve- 
netian gondola  to  the  little  row-boat  and  In- 
dian canoe.  On  reaching  the  shore,  we  pro- 
posed to  take  a  sail.  At  that  moment,  we 
observed  that  different  countries  were  repre- 
sented by  their  national  flags  floating  over 
these  tiny  vessels,  at  anchor  in  a  miniature 
harbor.  Now  commenced  a  good-natured 
contest.  Our  English  companions  laughingly 
said,    '•  now   you    must    sail    under    English 


136  LEAFLETS. 

colors ;"  but  the  spirit  of  our  glorious  fore- 
fathers, who  had  broken  the  chains  that  bound 
us  to  Britain,  rose  up  before  us,  and  the  love 
of  American  liberty  went  throbbing  through 
our  veins,  as  we  said,  "no,  but  we  will  sail 
under  the  star-spangled  banner."  The  ladies 
pointed  to  their  English  flag,  while  we  looked 
in  vain  for  the  "red,  white,  and  blue;"  but 
it  was  not  among  the  national  emblems.  Why 
is  it  not  here  7  inquired  we  of  the  boatman, 
who,  fearing  that  he  might  lose  his  shilling, 
apologized  by  saying  "it  had  been  taken 
down  that  morning  to  be  washed,  and  that  it 
was  now  in  the  boat-house."  Our  English 
ladies  had  the  hiugh  on  us ;  but  we  thought, 
that  John  Bull  did  not  care  to  show  off 
the  emblem  of  the  strength  of  his  trans- 
atlantic cousins.  We  submitted  with  as  good 
a  grace  as  possible ;  but,  on  stepping  into  the 
boat,  we  exclaimed: 

" the  star-.spang:led  banner,  0  !  long  may  it  wave 

O'er  tlie  land  of  tlie  free,  and  the  home  of  the  brave !" 

After  the  sail,  we  entered  the  Palace, 
and  spent  some  time  examining  the  articles 
exhibited  in  a  Ladies'  Fair,  held,  at  that  time, 
in  one  part  of  the  building.     In  a  few  hours 


BUNHILL     FIELDS.  137 

we  parted  with  our  dear  lady-friends,  and  re- 
turned to  London,  where  we  arrived,  in  time 
to  visit,  that  afternoon,  the  Bunhill  Fields 
Burial-Grounds — "the  Campo  Santo"  of  the 
Dissenters — who,  it  is  said,  conscientiously  ob- 
jected to  the  burial-service  in  the  J3ook  of 
Common  Prayer.  De  Foe  relates  of  these 
grounds,  that,  while  the  plague  prevailed  in 
London,  in  1665,  they  were  used  as  a  pest- 
field — that  the  great  pit  in  Finsbury,  in  the 
parish  of  Cripplegate,  which  has  since  been 
walled  within  this  inclosure,  was  then  open, 
and  that  many,  who  were  fatally  infected, 
ran,  in  their  delirium,  wrapped  in  old  blank- 
ets or  rags,  and,  throwing  themselves  into 
the  pit,  expired,  and  were  left  thus  exposed 
until  others  were  brought  to  be  buried.  These 
extensive  grounds  are  walled  in,  and,  as  we 
strolled,  for  over  an  hour,  through  the  tall 
grass  that  grows  upon  the  turf  that  heaves 
over  line  after  line  of  mouldering  heaps,  we 
paused,  reading  on  weather-beaten  slabs  the 
records  of  the  distinguished  dead.  Here  we 
found  the  grave  of  that  excellent  and  "elect- 
lady,"  Susannah  Wesley,  called,  by  Taylor, 
the  "  Mother  of  Methodism,"  inasmuch  as  she 


138  L  K  A  F  L  E  T  S  . 

trained  its  illustrious  founders.  She  was  born 
in  London,  in  1G70,  and  from  her  liather,  Dr. 
Samuel  Anneslev,  she  inherited  her  enercj-v, 
method,  and  ])owei-  of  character;  and  trans- 
mitted them  to  her  son,  John  Weslev,  as 
afterward  demonstrated  in  his  life  of  un- 
unparalelled  usefulness.  Slie  was  married,  at 
the  age  of  nineteen,  to  Rev.  Sanuiel  Wedey^ 
a  clergyman  of  the  Established  Church,  wluK^e 
peculiar  views  often  placed  himself- and  I'am- 
ily  under  trying  circumstances,  particularly 
in  the  early  part  of  theii*  married  life.  They 
were  surrounded  by  an  unusual  number  of 
children,  nineteen  in  all — thirteen  of  whom 
lived  to  rise  up  and  call  their  mother  blessed. 
The  entire  affairs  of  the  household,  and  the 
training  of  the  children,  devolved  upon  Mrs. 
Wesley,  who,  happily,  possessed  every  requi- 
site of  a  teacher. 

The  obscure  Rectory  at  Epworth,  where 
the  I'amily  lived  for  many  years,  presented  a 
beautiful  picture  of  a  domestic  sanctuary,  in 
which  Christian  virtues  and  graces  were  de- 
veloped; also  a  family-seminary,  where  per- 
fect order  was  maintained,  in  opening  and 
closing  with  prayer  and  sniging,  every  morn« 


BUNHILL     FIELDS.  139 

ing  and  evening,  completing  a  lovely  family 
circle,  the  mother  being  the  centre  of  house- 
hold joys.  She  was  as  beautiful  as  she  was 
accomplished,  and  amiable  as  she  was  pious, 
having  a  loveliness  of  face  and  figure  seldom 
seen.  But  seeming  entirely  unconscious  of 
this  fact,  she  devoted  all  the  faculties  of  her 
high-toned  nature,  which  was  strong  in  every 
part,  to  the  stern  duties  of  life — making  her 
a  distinguished  woman,  a  faithful  wife,  and  a 
devoted  and  loving  mother.  She  died  in 
London,  at  the  age  of  seventy-three.  The 
last  words  she  uttered  to  those  who  were 
standing  around  her,  when  dying,  were : 
"children,  as  soon  as  I  am  released,  sing  a 
psalm  of  praise  to  God!"  She  was  interred 
in  this  burying-ground,  among  the  illustrious 
dead,  where  she  still  sleeps  in  peace.  Here, 
also,  are  the  graves  of  John  Bunyan,  who 
died  1688,  and  Dr.  Isaac  Watts,  who  died 
1748.  The  "Pilgrim's  Progress"  of  the  for- 
mer, and  the  "Psalms  and  Hymns"  of  the 
latter,  have,  as  gentle  hand-maidens,  or  attend- 
ing angels,  accompanied  the  Bible  wherever  it 
has  gone,  in  our  own  hearts  and  homes,  and  in 

distant   lands,  rendering  John    Bunyan  and 

12 


140 


LEAFLETS. 


Isaac  Watts  "  sacred  names."  Among  all  these 
graves,  we  did  not  forget  the  resting-place  of 
George  Fox,  who  founded  a  sect  called 
*'  Quakers,"  and  from  the  mound  that  marks 
the  spot,  I  gathered  some  beautiiul  spears  of 
grass  as  a  memento.  May  he  sleep  quietly, 
until  the  Spirit  moves  him  to  rise,  '^  at  the 
last  great  day." 


CHAPTER    XII. 

A     I'RAYKR     MKETING  — SEKING     THK     QUEEN     AND 
ROYAL    FAMILY. 

I  HAVE  now  been  in  London  and  its  environs 
over  four  weeks,  and  really  begin  to  feel 
marvelously  at  home.  I  have  even  ventured 
out  in  this  Babylonian  city,  and  several  times 
visited  the  British  Museum  and  National  Gal- 
lery without  a  guide ;  some  of  the  streets  begin 
to  appear  as  familiar  as  Broadway,  in  New 
York.  This  morning  I  very  reluctantly  pack- 
ed my  trunk,  expecting  to  leave,  but  a  change 
in  the  arrangement  of  the  trains  detained  us 
until  evening,  affording  me  a  line  opportunity 
to  give  you  the  finale  of  our  wanderings  and 
sojourn  here.  On  Tuesday  morning  I  arose 
early,  and  accompanied  Mrs.  E ,  an  Eng- 
lish lady,  and  a  member  of  the  Established 
Church,  to  a  six  o'clock  prayer-meeting,  held 
in  one  of  the  rooms  belonging  to  the  Young 


142  LEAFLETS. 

Men's  Christian  Association.  Only  a  few 
were  present,  but  a  spirit  of  earnest  prayer 
prevailed  before  the  throne,  the  burden  of 
which  was  a  young  lady  in  high  life,  whom 
the  Spirit  had  inclined  to  meet  with  them, 
and  who,  while  there,  had  sought  and  found 
the  ''pearl  of  great  price,"  As  it  began  to 
reflect  its  brightness  upon  her  pathway, 
gilding  the  circle  in  which  she  moved,  her 
friends  observed  the  rapid  development  of  the 
higher  and  nobler  life  within  ;  but  their 
own  proud  hearts,  untouched  by  God's  Holy 
Spirit,  would  not  listen  to  her  experience, 
neither  to  the  promptings  of  spirit  voices 
whispering  to  them,  but  in  malice  and  bitter- 
ness they  opposed  her,  and  confined  her  to 
her  room,  hoping  thereby  to  abate  her  ardor. 
One  morning  she  awoke,  a  raving  maniac, 
which  they  at  once  declared  to  be  the 
efiect  of  religion.  In  this  little  room,  early 
in  the  morning,  I  found  a  band  of  Christians, 
praying  "earnestly  and  without  ceasing"  for 
her,  that  though  absent  from  them  she  might 
be  loosed  from  the  power  that  bound  her 
reason,  and  that  soon  she  might  again  worship 
with  them,  "sitting  at  the  feet  of  Jesus,  and 


PRAYER-MEETING.  143 

clothed  in  her  right  mind."  Their  prayers 
were  answered,  and  God's  cause  triumphed 
over  the  prince  of  darkness. 

A  great  revival  spirit  is  extending  all  over 
Great  Britain.  Union  in  effort  is  the  watch- 
word among  all  Christians,  and  denomina- 
tional prejudices  are  banished.  It  has  been 
delightful  to  attend  these  meetings,  which 
are  held  in  all  parts  of  the  city. 

We  have  visited  the  Ragged  Schools,  that 
are  accomplishing  a  great  work  among  the 
forlorn  outcasts  of  every  street,  in  feeding 
and  clothing  them,  and  teaching  them  useful 
and  honorable  employment. 

We  have  seen  Queen  Victoria  and  the  Royal 
family;  but  we  came  very  near  leaving  Lon- 
don without  enjoying  this  unspeakable  privi- 
lege. Sjon  after  our  arrival  in  the  city,  we 
applied  to  Mr.  Dallas,  the  American  Ambassa- 
do)',  for  tickets  to  admit  us  to  the  Queen's 
Drawing-Room;  they  were  readily  promised, 
but  we  were  not  in  haste  to  secure  them,  know- 
ing that  Her  Majesty  was  then  at  the  Osborne 
House ;  but,  taking  up  the  London  Times 
a  few  mornings  since,  I  read  that  on  Tuesday 
''  Her  Most  Gracious  Majesty,  Victoria,  would 

10* 


144  LEAFLETS. 

again  hold  her  Drawing-Room  in  the  Palace 
of  St.  James."  We  sent  immediately  for 
tickets,  hut  as  there  is  only  a  limited  number 
at  the  disposal  of  our  minister,  they  had  all 
been  previously  distributed,  which  we  were 

assured    he    deeply    regretted.      Mr.   N , 

more  fortunate  than  myself,  had  seen  the 
Queen  as  she  was  taking  an  evening  ride,  and 
did  not  care  to  go  out  on  this  gloomy,  rainy 
day  to  see  her  again ;  but  as  it  might  be  the 
only  opportunity  I  would  have  to  see  the  wo- 
man that  a  great  and  powerful  nation  has 
sceptred  and  crowned  as  Queen,  I  was  quite 
determined  to  catch  a  glimpse  of  her,  even  at 
the  last  moment. 

Having  secured  a  catriage,  I  rode  to  the 
Park,  where  our  vehicle  was  not  allowed  to 
enter;  but  ascertaining  that  persons  on  foot 
were,  I  jumped  from  the  carriage,  and, 
through  the  drenching  rain — splash,  splash — 
hastened  on  until  I  reached  the  entrance  to 
St.  James,  where  splendid  horses  and  car- 
riages, and  daz/ling  equipages,  were  rolling 
in  and  out.  The  Queen  had  already  arrived 
from  Buckingham  Palace,  and  joined  the  gay 
throng    in    the    Drawing-Room.      Prompted 


QUEEN     VICTORIA.  145 

still  by  woman's  curiosity,  I  was  not  dis- 
heartened, but  resolved  to  remain  until  she 
returned,  in  the  meantime  picturing  to  myself 
the  brilliant  assembly  that  thronged  the  rooms 
and  corridors.  In  fancy,  I  could  see  Her 
Majesty  smiling  and  bowing  graciously  to 
each  that  had  the  honor  of  being  presented 
to  her.  At  last  the  scene  and  ceremony  con- 
cluded, and  about  four  o'clock  a  gun  was 
fired,  when  the  large  entrance-gate,  which 
had  been  so  laithfully  guarded  by  sentinels 
attired  in  red,  striped  with  gold,  flew  open,  and 
two  ushers,  dressed  as  officials,  darted  out  on 
horseback,  at  full  speed,  followed  by  a  state- 
coach,  in  which  were  Her  Majesty's  Ministers; 
in  the  next  were  seated  the  veritable  Queen 
and  Prince  Consort.  The  sides  of  the  carriage 
were  open,  giving  us  a  fine  opportunity  to  see 
hei'  full  in  the  face,  which  entirely  upset  my 
idea  of  queenly  dignity,  as  she  was  giggling 
and  laughing  just  as  we  sometimes  do  when 
we  can't  help  it,  or  don't  wish  to  help  it.  Her 
features  calmed  down  somewhat,  however, 
when  she  saw  that  quite  a  crowd  had  gath- 
ered on  that  terribly  rainy  day  to  see  her  pass, 
and  to  say  '*  God  save  the  Queen!" 


146  LEAFLETS. 

My  eyes  were  dazzled  looking  at  the  splen- 
did red  carriages,  adorned  with  gold,  and  cush- 
ioned with  crimson-velvet,  that  followed  in 
quick  succession,  filled  with  many  of  the 
finest  specimens  of  English  aristocracy,  cov- 
ered with  jewels  and  badges  of  honor.  In  the 
carriage  next  to  the  Queen's  were  several  of 
the  royal  children,  and  in  one  which  followed 
this  was  Leopold,  King  of  the  Belgians, 
who  was  then  a  guest  at  Buckingham,  and 
the  excellent  Duchess  of  Kent,  mother  of 
Victoria,  and  sister  of  the  King  (a  most 
honorable  woman)  ;  and  then  came  the  car- 
riage in  which  was  the  Duchess  of  Suther- 
land,  the  famous  and  noblest  of  English 
matrons.  When  the  gorgeous  retinue  had 
passed,  1  could  recall  it  only  as  a  fairy-like 
enchantment,  or  poetic  vision.  But  my  mind 
centred  on  the  fair,  plump,  pretty,  loveable  face 
of  Victoria.  Some  of  her  own  loving,  loyal 
subjects  had  called  her  plain-looking,  and 
many  said  she  was  homely ;  but,  in  the 
glimpse  I  caught  of  her,  I  saw  so  much  of  the 
vivacity  of  youth  and  of  womanly  goodness 
animating  a  countenance  beaming  with  intelli- 
gence, that  I  could  but  consider  her  beautiful. 


QUEEN     VICTORIA.  147 

She  was  dressed  very  plain,  owing  to  the 
death  of  her  aunt,  which  had  occurred  a  few 
weeks  previous.  She  was  attired  in  a  thin, 
white  material,  with  a  black  sash  or  scarf. 
Her  hair,  which  is  sott  brown,  was  arranged 
tastefully,  with  a  small  coronet  or  tiara  of 
diamonds  encircling  her  brow,  which  sparkled 
like  dew-drops  in  the  sun.  Prince  Albert  sat 
by  her  side,  in  a  sort  of  soldier-like  stateliness, 
a  splendid  specimen  of  German  nobility. 


CHAPTER   XIII. 

LEAVING     L  0  N  I)  0  X  -  T  R  I  P     T  0     E  1)  I  N  B  U  R  G  H  . 

June  '[i')fh. 
We  bade  adieu  to  London,  and  were  seated 
in  the  cars,  just  as  the  faint  shadows  of  even- 
ing began  to  reflect  the  glimmer  of  tapers 
here  and  there  through  the  narrow  streets, 
and  were  soon  roUing  after  the  "  iron  horse," 
through  some  of  the  loveliest  scenery  of  Eng- 
land, on  which  we  ga/ed  with  rapt  admiration, 
until  the  fatigue  of  the  day,  and  the  long 
hours  of  the  night,  made  us  sigh  for  rest, 
when  we  commenced  arranging  our  seats  that 
we  might  be  comfortable  for  the  night ;  but, 
alas  !  ''  our  best  concerted  schemes  were  vain," 
for,  in  a  few  moments,  the  train  stopped,  and 
a  woman,  with  a  host  of  children,  came 
crowding  in,  with  baskets  and  boxes,  big  bun- 
dles and  little  bundles,  and  I  cannot  tell  what 
all,  until  the  apartment  of  the  car  was  liter- 
ally jannued,  vanishing  all  our  blissful  visions 


LEAVING      LONDON.  149 

of  the  land  of  Nod,  for  now  we  were  com- 
pelled to  sit  cramped  up  in  one  corner,  per- 
fectly erect.  For  a  while,  however,  in  spite 
of  our  uncomfortable  position,  occasioned  by 
this  unexpected  group,  we  amused  our- 
selves watching  this  old  dame  dandling  first 
one  and  then  the  other  of  these  children 
into  repose;  when  she  could  not  succeed 
with  this  mode,  she  resorted  to  the  ample  and 
well-filled  basket,  crowded  half  way  under 
the  seat,  which  she  would  divest  of  sundry 
kinds  of  meats,  vsuch  as  chicken,  bacon ; 
and  last,  but  not  least,  the  gammon-bone 
of  a  ham,  from  which,  with  the  use  of  a  knife 
and  fork,  she  must  have  satisfied  all  aching 
voids  within,  but  did  not  succeed  as  well  in 
getting  them  asleep.  You  little  brats,  very 
wickedly  thought  1,  as  they  disturbed  my 
quiet,  but  the  next  moment  laughed  until 
until  I  cried  to  see  this  female  guardian  (for 
she  could  not  have  been  their  mother, )  drill 
these  children  by  lullabys,  then  pet  them,  then 
feed,  or  rather  stufi'  them,  then  off  with  her 
shoe  and  cuff  them,  but  without  succeedinor 
in  either.  The  very  next  moment,  with  all 
possible  coolness,  she  would  take  out  a  tin 


150  LEAFLETS. 

tea-pot,  and  drink  from  the  spout.  At  last, 
tired  and  thoroughly  vexed  by  such  un- 
cultivated government,  such  rebellious  sub- 
jects, or  as  Tupper  is  pleased  to  call  an  infant 
specimen,  "a  well-spring  of  j^leasure,  a  link 
between  angels  and  men,"  the  window  being 
open,  I  turned  from  scenes  within  to  views 
without,  where,  at  every  turn,  nature  was  re- 
vealing a  thousand  charms  heightened  by  the 
subdued  twilight.  I  soon  forgot  that  I  was 
tired  or  compelled  to  sit  painfully  erect,  and 
even  the  old  grandmother  and  her  noisy  en- 
cumbrances, if  not  entirely  forgotten,  appear- 
ed to  be  blessings  in  disguise,  to  prevent  my 
falling  asleep,  and  thus  losing  sight  of  these 
beautiful  panoramic  views.  At  this  hour  all 
nature  had  hushed  herself  into  rest  and  quiet ; 
the  holy  stars,  heaven's  stainless  watchers, 
were  twinkling  on  the  brow  of  night,  and 
anon  fair  luna  made  her  appearance  in  the 
form  of  a  silver  cresent,  hung  amid  sparkling 
diamonds,  whose  liquid  light  made  night  seem 
but  as  a  milder  day,  for  evening's  gray  twi- 
light had  lingered  into  night,  which  so  quick- 
ly glided  into  day,  that  it  scarcely  made  a 


EDINBURGH.  151 

bridge  between  the  first  streak  of  morning's 
gay  twilight. 

As  the  train  paused  at  the  stations,  we  could 
hear  the  birds  utter  their  first  little  drowsy 
stir  and  chirp,  mingling  with  the  low  ol  kine 
and  the  bleat  of  sheep,  which  soon  blended 
with  the  general  hum  of  early  awakening 
life;  the  stars,  one  by  one,  now  closed  their 
diamond  eyes,  and  the  pale  cresent  lovingly 
kissed  the  sceptre  of  the  king  of  day,  and 
disappeared  as  he  rode  up  the  eastern  sky  in 
his  chariot  of  golden  light,  just  as  we  were 
exchanging  the  green  fields  of  merry  England 
for  "ye  banks  and  braes  o'  bonnie"  Scotland. 

We  arrived  at  Edinburgh,  the  Scottish  me- 
tropolis— called  by  many  authors  "modern 
Athens" — about  ten  o'clock  in  the  forenoon, 
and  stopped  at  an  hotel  on  Waterloo  Place. 
Tired  as  we  were,  it  was  only  a  few  hours 
before  we  were  wandering  among  the  graves 
of  Calton  Church-yard.  In  one  corner  we 
observed  a  circular-like  tower,  and  on  ap- 
proaching, found  it  to  be  a  monument 
of  David  Hume,  the  historian.  In  nearly 
the  centre  of  this  yard,  stands  a  grand 
obelisk,    erected    in    1845    to    the    memory 

13 


152  LEAFLETS. 

of  Muir,  Palmer,  Gerrald,  Skirving  and  Mar- 
garet, who  were  banished  on  account  of  the 
part  they  took  in  the  cause  of  freedom  in 
1794.  Adjoining  this  yard,  are  the  casteUated 
walls  of  the  old  prison.  From  this  cemetery 
we  crossed  over  to  Calton  Ilillj^which  is  less 
than  a  quarter  of  a  mile  distant;  on  reaching 
the  summit,  which  is  over  three  hundred  and 
fifty  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea,  we  gain- 
ed an  extensive  prospect  of  the  surrounding 
country  where 

"  Traced  like  a  map  the  landscape  lies. 
In  cultured  beauty  stretching  wide.'" 

combining  some  of  the  richest  elements  of 
the  sublime  and  lovely  in  nature,  with  a 
fine  view  of  the  city,  built  on  elevated  ridges, 
extending  from  east  to  west — the  build- 
ings arranged  in  picturesque  disorder.  The 
old  and  the  new  towns  are  separated  by  ex- 
tensive pleasure  gardens  and  grounds,  which, 
as  seen  from  here,  seem  to  sw^ecp  round  the 
base  of  the  old  castle.  Around  us  are  several 
elaborately  designed  monuments;  the  one 
most  conspicuous  is  that  to  Nelson,  "model- 
ed exactly  after  a  Dutch  skipper's  spy -glass, 
or  a  butter  churn,"  and  one  of  chaste  design  to 


EDINBURGH.  153 

Dugald  Stewart;  but  the  one  that  claimed 
my  undivided  attention,  was  the  twelve  col- 
umns of  the  unfinished  National  Monument, 
which,  when  completed,  was  intended  to  com- 
memorate the  heroes  who  fell  at  Waterloo. 
In  design  it  was  to  be  a  reproduction  of  the 
Parthenon ;  but,  to  the  chagrin  of  every 
Scotchman,  lor  the  want  of  funds,  it  has 
proved  a  vain  attempt  to  restore  one  of  the 
^'glories  of  the  antique  world." 

Edinburgh,  the  monumental  city  of  Scot- 
land, is  at  the  present  day,  in  many  respects, 
the  most  interesting  city  in  the  world.  It  is 
crowded  with  literary  and  benevolent  insti- 
tutions. Printing  and  publishing  are  carried 
on  on  a  large  scale ;  and  there  are  also  here  a 
great  number  of  Hospitals,  amply  endowed, 
and  admirably  conducted.  Sir  Walter  Scott's 
works,  in  prose  and  poetical  romance,  full 
of  life  and  vigor,  have  sent  out  into  all 
the  world  so  many  thrilling  voices,  inviting 
hundreds  of  devoted  worshipers  to  shrines 
he  has  consecrated  amid  charming  hills  and 
dales,  where  ivy-mantled  towers  lift  their 
crumbling  forms,  and  holy  abbeys  and  deso- 
late castles  hide  themselves  behind  the  green 


164  LEAFLETS. 

rubbish  of  ages.  The  Scotch,  as  a  nation^ 
cherish  his  name  and  memory  as  a  sort  of 
patriot,  who  arose  to  redeem  Scotland,  by 
refreshing  and  emljcllishing  the  incidents  of 
history,  and  to  give  their  land  a  name  other 
than  that  found  in  the  long,  dark,  and  fearful 
struggles  of  strifes  and  wai's.  In  appreciation 
of  his  labors  and  usefulness,  they  have,  on  the 
north  side  of  East  Princes  Street  Gardens, 
erected  to  his  memory  the  most  magnificent 
monument  I  have  ever  seen  ;  the  foundation 
was  laid  on  the  15th  of  August^  1840,  and 
completed  in  1844.  The  style  is  purely 
Gothic,  with  four  grand  arches.  The  niches 
are  filled  with  sculptured  impersonations  of 
the  characters  portrayed  in  the  works  of  Sir 
Walter ;  (me  is  the  Lad}^  of  the  Lake  stepping 
from  the  boat  to  the  shore ;  another  the  Last 
Minstrel,  playing  on  his  harp,  together  with 
many  others.  It  is  over  two  hundred  feet 
high,  with  two  hundred  and  eighty-seven 
steps  conducting  to  the  gallery  at  the  top. 

In  the  interior,  beneath  the  arched  canopy 
of  marble,  is  a  colossal  statue  of  the  great 
author,  represented  sitting,  gracefully  draped 
in  plaid,  with   one  of  the  Waverleys  in  his 


HOLYROOD      PALACE.  155 

hand,  and  attended  by  his  favorite  dog,  Be- 
vis.  The  monument  is  worthy  of  such  a 
great  man — stately  and  magnificent  in  all  its 
proportions — the  entire  cost  being  over  fifteen 
thousand  pounds. 

Not  more  than  a  hundred  years  ago  was 
born,  in  a  little  thatched-rooied  peasant's  cot- 
tajre,  one  whose  native  talents  and  extraordi- 
nary  genius  has  given  to  bonnie  Scotland  the 
title  which  will  never  be  forgotten — ''the 
land  of  Burns."  How  my  love  for  his  sweet, 
soul-stirring  effusions  deepened  and  intensi- 
fied, as  I  stood  beside  the  monument  erected 
to  his  memory,  and  called  to  mind  his 
''  Highland  Mary,"  the  queen  of  his  well- 
earned  inheritance,  and  whom  he  cherished 
adoringly  through  all  his  checkered  career. 

There  is  another  name  beside  those  of 
Scott  and  Burns,  which  at  one  time  illumines, 
then  darkens,  now  gladdens,  now  dims  with 
tears  of  sorrow,  the  pages  of  Scottish  history. 
It  is  the  name  of  the  beautiful  and  talented, 
but  unfortunate,  Mary  Stuart;  and  Holyrood 
Palace  is  the  monument  to  her  memory  in 
Scotland,  where  she  spent  most  of  her  adven- 
turous, and  even  tempestuous  life.     To-day 

13'' 


156  LEAFLETS. 

we  have  visited  this  palace  and  abbey,  and, 
as  we  passed  from  room  to  room,  and  through 
the  cold  halls,  the  memory  of  the  lovely 
Mary  seemed  to  linger,  as  a  stray  sun-beam,  to 
gladden  them.  We  hastened  to  Mary's  rooms, 
which,  we  were  informed,  remain  the  same, 
or  nearly  so,  as  when  occupied  by  the  fair 
Queen.  The  aspect  of  the  furniture  is  an- 
tique ;  the  quaint,  old-fashioned,  high-backed 
chairs  are  richly  embroidered,  but  very  much 
faded,  and,  to  me,  they  appeared  too  I'rail  me- 
morials to  hold  together  for  nearly  three 
hundred  years.  The  royal  bedstead  is  railed 
in,  lest  unholy  hands  should  reach  out  and 
take  a  forbidden  rag  from  its  discolored  coun- 
terpane; the  curtains,  once  crimson-damask, 
with  green  silk  fringe  and  tassels,  now^  dangle 
in  tattered  fragments  from  four  high  posts; 
but  there  is  still  retained  a  charm,  when  we 
remember  that  once  her  lovely  form  reposed 
upon  it.  The  walls  are  covered  with  Gobelin 
tapestry,  from  the  Paris  manuiactory,  which 
is  now  so  web-like  and  time-worn  that  it  is 
dropping  to  pieces.  In  a  little  recess  stands 
a  table,  on  which  remains  a  work-box,  ex- 
quisitely   embroidered    by    Mary's    delicate, 


HOLYROOD     PALACE.  157 

queenly  hands.  I  joined  with  a  French  lady 
in  our  party,  who,  when  she  looked  at  and 
admired  it,  exclaimed,  "ah  !  qu'elle  est  jolie!'' 
Here  is,  also,  a  curiously  constructed  basket^ 
which  palace  tradition  informed  us  was  used 
by  the  Queen-Mother  to  contain  the  infant 
wardrobe  of  James  the  Sixth,  of  Scotland, 
and  that  it  was  presented  by  Queen  Eliza- 
beth to  Mary.  We  looked  into  the  mirror 
that  hundreds  of  years  ago  so  often  gave 
back  the  reflection  of  her  fair  face.  But 
how  my  blood  went  throbbing  through  my 
veins,  as  I  entered  the  little  boudoir  where 
the  Duchess  of  Argyle  and  the  youthful,  fair- 
faced  Italian,  Rizzio,  were  quietly  supping 
with  the  Queen  on  that  fatal  night,  when 
Lord  Darnley  and  his  accomplices  entered  to 
perpetrate  their  secret  plans  of  assassination. 
We  saw  the  small  door,  and  looked  down  the 
private  stairway,  through  which  these  des- 
perate demons  crept,  stealthily,  into  these 
apartments,  where  the  horrible  scene  ensued. 
When  the  poor  Italian  was  aware  that  his  life 
was  aimed  at,  he  fled,  child-like,  for  protec- 
tion, behind  the  Queen,  who,  in  attempting  to 
rescue  him,  was  rudely  pushed  aside  by  the 


158  LEAFLETS. 

murderers;  they  seized  him,  and  dragged 
him  through  her  bed  room  to  the  head  of  the 
stairs,  where  the>^  were  not  satisfied  until 
the}'  had  stabbed  him  over  forty  times,  each 
wound  being  sullicient  to  take  life,  and  where 
the  discolored  spot  on  the  floor,  until  this  day, 
iiuk'libly  records  the  horrible  tragedy.  How 
pitiful  must  have  been  the  cries  and  prayers 
of  the  Queen,  at  the  time,  for  his  life;  and 
how  fearfully  nmst  have  rung  through  these 
halls  her  angry  vow  of  vengeance  and  re- 
venge when  she  knew  that  he  was  dead.  It 
is  said  that  the  little  room  was  never  again 
occupied  by  the  Queen,  or  any  one  else.  On 
the  table  now  lie  the  armor  of  Lord  Ruthven, 
his  boots,  gauntlets,  and  iron  breast-plate, 
worn  at  the  time  of  the  assassination.  What 
a  change  ! — from  a  little  supping  board,  loaded 
with  dainty  luxuries,  such  as  queens  have 
placed  before  them,  to  the  vile  garments 
stained  with  the  blood  of  the  innocent. 

After  passing  through  Lord  Dainley's  sleep- 
ing apartments,  and  the  state-rooms  and  gal- 
leries, we  entered  the  abbey,  founded  in  the 
eleventh  century,  by  David  the  First.  A  part 
of  the  high  altar  has  withstood  the  ravages  of 


HOLYROOD     ABBEY.  159 

the  imcourtly  hand  of  time,  and  remains  un- 
der an  arched  window  of  great  beauty,  around 
which  the  creeping  ivy  has  twined  its  loving 
tendrils.  It  was  before  this  altar  that  Mary 
Queen  of  Scots,  stood  in  that  unfortunate 
hour  when  married  to  Lord  Darnley.  This 
palace  has  for  centuries  been  the  residence  of 
Scottish  royalty,  and  the  abbey,  their  burial- 
place,  which  is  still  beautiful  amid  its  ruin. 
The  exterior  of  the  palace  most  strikingly 
resembles  a  military  fortress.  The  front  is 
flanked  by  double  castelated  towers.  The 
whole  being  built  in  a  quadrangle  form,  gives 
a  court-yard  of  ninety  feet  square,  and,  as  a 
whole,  quite  unlike  any  other  castle  I  have 
seen.  Wishing  to  pursue  the  history  of  Mary 
Queen  of  Scots,  as  far  as  can  be  traced  in  the 
castles  and  palaces  once  occupied  by  her,  we 
left  Holy  rood  Abbey,  and  hastened  to  the  old 
castle,  situated  on  a  precipitous  rocky  emi- 
nence, nearly  four  hundred  feet  high.  Its 
origin  dates  far  back  in  the  past,  when  it 
formed  the  nucleus  around  which  Edinburgh, 
in  its  childhood,  arose.  It  always  has  been^ 
and  still  is,  an  extensive  military  fortress, 
with,  at  present,  ample  accommodations  for 


160  LEAFLETS. 

two  thousand  soldiers,  and  an  armory  of  thir- 
ty thousand  stand  of  arms.  \Yithin  this  an- 
cient pahice,  the  pious  (^ueen  Margaret  died, 
in  1093.  The  beautiful  little  Norman  Chapel, 
built  by  hei',  in  whicdi  she  worshiped,- still  re- 
mains, the  pride  of  the  castle,  as  it  is  a  gem 
and  an  architectural  relic.  As  we  proceeded 
to  the  crown-room,  we  glanced  into  the 
gloomy  prisons,  where  royalty,  in  other  days, 
was  confined.  The  regalia  consists  of  a  ciown, 
sceptre,  and  sword,  which  lie  on  a  table,  be- 
neath a  crimson  canopy,  guarded  by  two 
wardens,  whose  business  it  is  to  show  them 
to  visitors.  How  many  destinies  of  men  and 
nations  have  these  insignias  of  Scottish  roy- 
alty controlled]  In  the  hand  of  the  Bruces, 
the  sceptre  was  at  one  period  a  rod  of  power; 
at  another  time,  a  broken  reed.  The  sword 
was  an  instrument  of  vengeance  to  James  the 
First ;  and  the  gorgeous  crown  changed  into 
a  chaplet  of  thorns,  pressing  painfully  deep 
into  the  fair  brow  of  Mary  Stuart,  from  which 
it  was  taken  and  placed  upon  the  head  of  her 
infant  son,  where  it  shone,  a  diadem  of  glory. 
To  me,  a  shade  of  melancholy  seemed  to  hang 
over  every  relic  retained  in  the  apartments 


EDINBURGH     CASTLE.  161 

occupied  by  the  beautitul  Queen  at  such  an 
eventful  period  in  her  life.     In  one  of  these 
rooms,    her  only    son,  afterward    James    the 
Sixth,  was  born.     With  what  solicitude  the 
queen-mother   must  have  watched  his  little 
barque,  as  it  began  to  toss  on  the  troubled  and 
even  tempestuous  sea  of  a  nation  wrought  up 
to  the  fearful  storm  of  strife.     Torn  from  his 
mother's  bosom  when   only  eight   days  old, 
and,  to  escape  murderous  pursuers,  let  down 
in  a  tiny  basket,  over  the  rocky  eminence  on 
which   the  castle    is  built,  the  infant   King 
was  carried  to  Stirling  Castle,  and  baptized 
in  the  Protestant  faith  by  Knox.    In  this  room 
was  a  seat  made  from  a  rose  tree,  said  to  have 
been  planted  by  her  queenly  hand.    On  every- 
thing I  could  see  traced  the  mysterious  hand- 
writing of  "  glory  departed."     And  in  her  his- 
tory it  appears  that  either  fate  or  Providence 
desisined  her  for  reverses,  misfortune  and  suf- 
ferine:,  from  her  childhood.     She  was  born  in 
the    Palace   of    Linlithgow,    in    1542.      Her 
father,  James  the  Fifth,  died  when  she  was 
eight  days  old,  leaving  the  inflmt  Mary  sole 
heiress  of  his  fortunes  and  his  crown.     The 
Earl  of  Arren  was  appointed  governor  of  the 


162  LEAFLETS. 

kingdom,  and  guardian  of  the  young  Queen, 
who  was  to  remain  with  her  mother,  in  the 
royal  palace.  A  disturbance  ensued  between 
the  earl  and  King  Henry  the  P]ighth,  of  Eng- 
land. The  king  greatly  desired  the  hand  of 
the  princess  for  his  son,  Edward,  having  in 
his  mind  the  union  of  the  two  crowns  there- 
by. At  one  time  encouraged  by  the  earl, 
then  refused,  the  result  of  the  latter  was  a 
great  battle,  which  was  fought  at  a  place 
called  Musselburgh,  where  the  Scots  were  de- 
feated, compelling  the  mother  of  Mary  to  flee 
with  the  young  child  to  the  Island  of  Inche- 
mahon,  where  the  little  Queen,  with  her  four 
Marys  as  companions,  were  in  banishment  for 
several  years. 

At  the  age  of  six  years,  her  mother, 
who  was  herself  a  French  Princess,  managed 
to  escape  with  her  to  France,  where  Mary  was 
splendidly  educated  in  a  Convent,  with  the 
daughters  of  the  nobility;  her  literary  acquire- 
ments were  rapid  and  wonderful  in  their 
development.  She  understood  the  French, 
Spanish,  and  Italian  tongues  almost,  if  not 
quite  to  perfection,  at  a  very  early  age ;  she 
spoke    the    Latin   with   ease    and    elegance. 


MARY  QUEEN  OF  SCOTS.      163 

Her  taste  for  poetry  and  music,  and  accom- 
plishments of  beauty,  wit,  and  learning,  all 
combined  to  make  her  extravagantly  admired 
by  the  French  Court.  At  the  age  of  sixteen, 
she  was  married  to  the  son  of  the  King  of 
France,  and  at  the  death  of  his  lather,  which 
occurred  soon  after  their  marriage,  he  was 
crowned  Francis  the  Second,  and  Mary  his 
beautiful  Queen.  But,  alas !  only  six  months 
after  his  accession  to  the  throne,  he  died. 
They  were  devotedly  attached,  and  Mary 
mouined  deeply  for  him.  The  Scots  insist- 
ed on  her  return  to  her  native  land,  that  she 
might  be  crowned  their  rightful  Sovereign. 
She  bade  adieu  to  France  very  reluctantly, 
and  even  after  she  had  sailed,  remained  on  deck 
gazing  on  the  shores  of  her  beloved  France" 
weeping  like  a  child.  On  arriving  in  Scotland, 
she  was  welcomed  with  so  much  enthusiasm 
by  her  subjects,  and  crowned  Queen  with  so 
many  honors,  that  she  soon  forgot  her  sorrows 
at  leaving  France.  Lord  Darnley  was  proposed 
as  her  husband,  and  charmed  by  his  youth 
and  beauty,  she  consented  to  marry  him; 
but  the  union  was  not  a  happy  one,  as  her  life 
afterward  proved  to  be  a  series  of  ill-fated 

14 


lt)4  LEAFLETS. 

circumtances.  Darnley  treated  her  cruelly, 
causing  the  death  of  her  private  Italian  Sec- 
retary and  favorite  musician,  after  which  she 
no  longer  attempted  to  conceal  her  hatred  for 
him.  Even  the  birth  of  her  son,  under  these 
trying  circumstances,  failed  to  reconcile  them 
to  each  other.  While  at  Stirling  Castle, 
Darnley  was  seized  with  disease,wliich  threat^ 
ened  his  life,  and  the  Queen,  forgetting  for  the 
moment,  his  unkindness,  visited  him,  and 
among  her  acts  of  affection,  she  placed  a 
ring  on  his  hand  and  accompanied  him  to  a 
house  called  Kirk  of  Field,  which  was  soon 
after  blown  up  by  gunpowder,  and  his  shatter- 
ed remains  found  the  next  day  in  an  adja- 
cent field.  Bothw^ell,  a  powerful  nobleman, 
who  had  shown  great  attachment  for  the 
Queen,  and  her  cause,  was  accused  of  the  mur- 
der, and  public  opinion  even  suspected  the 
Queen  as  being  accessory  to  it,  and  his  being 
retained  in  her  intimacv  onlv  confirmed  the 
suspicion.  They  weie  married  in  about  three 
months  after,  which,  as  might  be  expected, 
incurred  the  indignation  of  the  people.  Both- 
well,  assuming  the  power  of  the  throne,  so 
disturbed  and   agitated  the  religion,  politics, 


MARY  QUEEN  OF  SCOTS.      165 

and  general  peace  of  the  nation,  that  war  en- 
sued, and  being  defeated,  was  compelled  to  fly, 
and  the  Queen  was  imprisoned  at  Lochleven. 
After  eleven  month's  confinement,  she  escap- 
ed, when  many  of  her  loyal  subjects  rallied 
around  her,  hoping  to  be  able  to  reinstate  her ; 
but  Murry,  an  illegitimate  brother  of  hers,  had 
been  declared  regent,  who  came  against  her 
with  a  strong  force,  and  as  her  army  consisted 
only  of  inexperienced  soldiers,  who  were 
easily  defeated;  her  life  was  only  saved  by 
traveling  sixty  miles  on  horseback,  in  one 
day.  She  now  wrote  to  Elizabeth  of  England, 
who  assumed  to  condole  with  her,  and  prom- 
ised her  protection ;  but,  as  soon  as  she  was  in 
her  power,  the  guise  of  affection  was  removed, 
and  her  old  jealousy  and  enmity  manifested 
by  confining  her  in  prison  without  seeing  her, 
where  she  remained  for  nineteen  years,  when 
she  was  ccmdemned  to  be  beheaded,  having 
been  accused  of  being  engaged  in  a  con- 
spiracy against  Elizabeth.  Becoming  weary 
of  a  life  involving  only  misfortune  and  dis- 
appointment, she  met  this  sentence,  it  is  said, 
with  dignity  and  calmness,  and  when  a  faith- 
ful old  servant,  the  steward  of  her  household, 


166  LEAFLETS. 

8aw  her  led  out  for  execution,  he  threw  him- 
self on  his  knees  before  her,  wringing  his 
hands,  exchiiniing:  ''Ah,  madam!  unhappy 
me!  was  ever  man  on  earth  the  bearer  of  such 
sorrow  as  I  shall  be,  when  I  repeat  that  my 
good  and  gracious  Queen  was  beheaded  in 
England! "  Here  his  grief  impeded  his  utter- 
ance, and  Mary  replied:  "Good  Melville,  cease 
to  lament,  thou  hast  rather  cause  to  joy  than 
mourn;  for  thou  shalt  see  the  end  of  Mary 
Stuart's  troubles.  Know  that  this  world  is 
but  vanity,  subject  to  more  sorrow  than  an 
ocean  of  tears  can  bewail."  She  soon  alter 
kneeled  on  the  scaflbld,  and  praying  for  her 
enemies,  submitted  to  her  death,  which 
occurred  in  Fotheringay  Castle,  February 
8th,  1587. 

At  the  death  of  Elizabeth,  Mary  was 
avenged  by  her  son,  James  the  Sixth,  uniting 
the  crowns  of  England  and  Scotland,  when 
he  caused  the  remains  of  his  mother  to  be 
interred  in  Westminster  Abbey,  and  there 
erected  a  magnificent  monument  to  her  mem- 
ory ;  and  at  his  death,  his  remains  were  placed 
by  her  side.  Many  authors,  even  at  the  pres- 
ent day,  differ  in  regard  to  the  moral  char- 


ST.     GILES'    CATHEDRAL.  167 

acter  of  this  ill-fated  queen.  The  noble  Sir 
Walter  Scott  refused  to  pronounce  her  guilty 
of  the  charges  brought  against  her,  and  as- 
serts that  her  enemies  were  paid  to  slander 
her.  Mrs.  Hale,  in  her  '*  Woman's  Record,'* 
says  of  her:  "There  never  has  been  but  one 
opinion  as  to  her  charms  as  a  woman,  or  the 
variety  of  her  accomplishments,"  and  adds, 
"  that  such  were  the  fascinations  of  her  per- 
son and  mind,  that  few  could  be  placed  under 
their  influence  without  becoming  convinced 
of  her  innocence  of  all  the  charges  against 
her."  In  the  little  room  in  the  old  castle, 
where  her  only  son  first  opened  his  eyes  to 
the  light  of  day,  I  purchased  an  engraving 
copied  from  an  original  painting  of  her,  which 
lies  before  me,- and  all  that  I  can  say  is  in 
the  language  of  another : 

'•If  to  her  lot  some  human  errors  fall, 
Look  to  her  face,  and  you'll  forget  them  all.'' 

Leaving  the  castle,  we  proceeded  down 
what  is  called  the  "Lawn  Market,"  and  soon 
reached  St.  Giles'  Cathedral,  one  of  the  Es- 
tablished Churches  of  Scotland,  which  is 
Presbyterian.  It  is  Gothic  in  architecture, 
and  very  large ;  and,  although  somewhat  mod- 

14* 


168  LEAFLETS. 

ernized,  it  still  bears  marks  of  antiquity. 
Two  old  women,  dressed  in  genuine  Scottish 
costume,  met  us  at  the  entrance,  and,  acting 
as  wardens,  they  commenced  to  show  us  the 
Cathedral,  and  allowed  us  to  stand  in  the  same 
pulpit  where  John  Knox,  the  intrepid  eccle- 
siastical reioiiner,  thundered  his  anathemas 
against  the  Church  of  Rome.  At  one  time, 
when  preaching  to  the  nobility,  who  have  an 
elegant  canopied  seat  in  the  gallery,  fronting 
the  pulpit,  his  text  were  these  words,  "Chil- 
dren shall  rule  princes."  Queen  Maiy^,  it  is 
said,  wept  like  a  child  as  she  listened  to 
Divine  truth.  A  nobleman,  witnessing  her 
tears,  cried  out  to  the  preacher,  "Are  you  not 
ashamed  to  make  your  Queen  weep?"  to  which 
Knox  replied,  "I  have  no  pleasure  in  her 
tears;  but  I  must  preach  what  my  Master 
holds  me  to."  Leaving  the  Cathedral,  w^e 
gave  the  old  ladies  a  gratuity,  one  of  whom 
pronounced  her  blessing  upon  us,  and,  following 
us  into  the  Parliament  Square,  on  the  north- 
ern side  of  the  Cathedral,  pointed  us  to  an 
equestrian  statue  of  Charles  the  Second,  which 
is  commanding  in  appearance.  Only  a  few 
steps  from  the  statue,  she  very  reverentially 


RESIDENCE     OF     KNOX.  169 

pointed  to  several  dark  stones  in  the  pavement, 
saying,  "Here  lies  the  remains  of  the  great- 
est of  preachers:  kings,  queens  and  lords 
have  proud  monuments;  but  here,  unknown, 
except  by  these  few  stones,  is  the  grave  of 
John  Knox!"  l^assing  down  the  street,  we 
visited  the  house  where  he  lived  for  at  least 
twelve  years.  It  is  a  fine  specimen  of  a 
dwelling-house  of  the  sixteenth  century. 
Over  the  door  is  this  inscription,  placed  there 
by  his  own  hands,  and  still  remaining,  "Lufe. 
God.  above  al.  and.  your,  nichbour.  as.  your, 
self"  On  a  bracket  is  a  rudely  sculptured 
eliigy,  representing  the  great  reformer  in  the 
attitude  of  addressing  the  populace.  Look- 
ing from  this  point  down  the  thronged 
street,  upon  the  motly  crowd  of  bare-footed 
and  half-naked  children,  bare-headed  and 
slovenly  wouien,  the  coarse  and  ugly  features 
and  tattered  garments  of  the  men,  as  they 
huddled  together  in  groups,  selling  their  pro- 
duce in  the  open  streets,  or  sallying  forth  with 
all  kinds  of  vegetables  and  meats  in  their 
hands,  aprons,  caps  and  hats,  which  they  had 
purchased  to.  carry  home.  I  wondered  why 
a  modern  Knox  was  not  raised  up  to  preach 


170  LEAFLETS. 

to  them  in  these  latter  days,  and  to  our  surprise 
as  we  turned  into  another  street,  there  was  a 
man  preaching  in  the  open  air,  with  a  crowd 
around  him.  After  going  to  the  house  occu- 
pied by  OUver  Cromwell,  during  his  stay  in 
Edinburgh ;  also  the  house  where  the  mother 
of  the  poet  Drummond,  of  Hawthornden  lived, 
and  many  places  where  the  scenes  were  laid 
in  Sir  Walter  Scott's  stories.  We  returned  to 
our  Hotel,  where,  reflecting  on  all  we  had 
seen,  a  week  seemed  to  be  crowded  into  one 
day. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

GRKEN    CEMETERY  — ARTiirR'S     SEAT— MELROSE      Minv.Y 
—  DRY  BURGH     A  R  B  EY— A  BROTSFO  R  I> . 

June  17  th. 
It  was  a  lovely  Sabbath  morning,  and  the 
services  at  St.  Giles'  Cathedral  we  found  very 
interesting.  But  as  in  the  alternoon,  none  of 
the  churches  were  open  for  religious  exer- 
cises, we  walked  out  to  the  Green  Cemetery. 
For  at  least  half  a  mile  before  reaching  the 
grounds,  we  followed  an  avenue,  skirted  on 
either  side  by  a  hawthorn  hedge,  which  grew 
quite  above  our  heads,  imparting  a  most  de- 
lightful air  of  seclusion.  I  am  sure  I  never 
entered  a  cemetery  so  bright  and  sunny. 
The  graves  appeared  like  so  many  little 
blooming  gardens,  covered  with  roses,  violets, 
and  forget-me-nots.  The  warm  sunshine 
seemed  lovingly  to  drain  the  tear-cup,  diffus- 
ing only  smiles  and  bright  hopes,  and  pros- 
pects of  an  eternal  day. 


1 72  LEAFLETS. 

On  one  side  of  the  ground,  we  tound  a  plain 
marble  tablet,  inserted  in  the  wall,  with  an 
iron  railing  in  front,  enclosing  the  grave;  on 
the  marble  we  read  this  simple  inscription  : 

Tl K )M  A S    (; H  A  LM  l-l US.  D. D..  L. L. D.. 

UortK  March  17,  1780. 

I' I  Ki).    M  \  V     :J  1  ,    1847. 

A  few  r«)ds  fioni  the  grave  ol  Chalmers,  on 
a  tablet  of  dark  marble,  we  read  another  in- 
teresting inscription : 

HUGH    MILLER, 

DiKi).    24th    dkcember,    1856, 

.\ged  54  Years. 

These  two  great  men  acted  in  different 
spheres;  yet  how  much  the  world  is  indebted 
to  both. 

At  this  season  of  the  year,  the  day  dawns 
in  Scotland  about  three  o'clock,  and  having 
risen  early  to  make  the  ascent  of  Arthur's 
Seat — a  most  curious  and  interesting  mountain 
— we  took  this  opportunity  to  w^alk  through 
many  of  the  streets,  delightful  pleasure 
grounds,  and  public  gardens,  while  yet  the 
great  city  was  slumbering.  It  was  an  hour 
of  reflection;  how  many,  thought  I,  are  all 
around  us  locked  in  the  embrace  of  unconscious 


» 


SEAT.  173 

sleep,  which  is  the  emblem  of  death.  I  think 
we  saw  but  one  person  in  our  perambulations, 
and  I  presume  he  was  the  morning  watch. 
Turning  our  laces  toward  Holyrood,  in  a  few 
moments  its  gray  walls  rose  up  before  us. 
Then  crossing  the  Queen's  Park,  and  taking  the 
winding  foot-path,  commenced  our  ascent  of 
the  famous  Arthur's  Seat.  It  was  not  long  be- 
fore we  reached  an  old  ruin,  known  as  St.  An- 
thony's Chapel,  standing  near,  if  not  on  the 
spot,  where  Scott,  in  his  "  Heart  of  Mid  Lothi- 
an," speaks  of  Jeanie  Dean's  meeting  the 
ruffian  llobertson.  I  was  constantly  gather- 
ino'  different  varieties  of  the  tinv  flowers  that 
grew  in  such  profusion  all  over  the  mountain 
sides,  until  we  reached  the  proud  summit, 
which  rises  eight  hundred  and  twenty  feet 
above  the  level  of  the  sea. 

As  far  the  eye  could  reach,  the  whole  coun- 
try, of  wondrous  beauty,  seemed  interlaced 
with  streams,  like  little  silver  threads  dotted 
with  crystal  lakes,  and  adorned  with  parks. 
Just  below  us  lay  the  city,  dimmed  with  the 
smoke  that  was  creeping  up  slowly  from  un- 
numbered chimneys,  while  the  sounds  of  new- 
ly  awakening   life   and   industry   filled   the 


174  LEAFLETS. 

morning  air.  Remaining  there  long  enough 
to  enjoy  a  glorious  sun-rise,  we  commenced  to 
descend,  taking  the  wild  path  which  extends 
alcmg  the  high  belt  of  semi-circular  rocks, 
called  the  Sallisbury  Crags,  sloping  down 
into  the  glen,  where  we  suddenly  came  in 
contact  with  a  target  company,  whose  red  flags 
were  displayed  in  every  direction;  not  wish- 
ing to  be  detained,  we  consulted  together  a 
moment,  and  resolved  to  proceed  cautiously, 
which,  in  attempting  to  do,  we  heard  a  voice 
come  sounding  up  the  hill-sides,  "  out  of  the 
way  there,  or  j'ou'll  get  shot,"  For  a  moment 
we  were  in  a  most  horrible  dilemma,  as  we 
were  too  weary  to  return,  and  for  our  lives 
we  dare  not  stand  still.  Seized  by  the  peril 
of  the  moment,  we  took  to  our  heels,  as  is 
sometimes  rudely  said,  and  I  only  wish  you 
could  have  seen  us  running  like  deer,  bound- 
ing like  a  top,  tumbling  like  logs,  with  every 
motion  in  double-quick  time,  until  we  reached 
the  base  of  the  mountain  in  safety,  and  out  of 
danger,  where,  after  catching  our  breaths,  we 
enjoyed  a  good  hearty  laugh.  One  might 
readily  imagine  we  relished  our  breakfast 
most  delightfully,  on  arriving  at  our  Hotel. 


MELROSE     ABBEY.  175 

At  twelve  o'clock  of  the  same  day  we  took 
the  train  for  Melrose,  a  distance  of  thirty- 
seven  miles  from  Edinburgh,  were  we  arrived 
at  four  o'clock  P.  M.  The  chief  attraction  of 
the  village  .is  the  celebrated  Abbey,  and  the 
object  of  our  pilgrimage.  It  is  considered 
the  finest  and  most  beautiful  old  ruin  in  all 
the  United  Kingdom,  and  the  best  remaining 
specimen  of  Gothic  architecture.  Much  has 
been  written,  both  in  verse  and  prose,  of  "  fair 
Melrose,"  and  I  hardly  ventured  to  anticipate 
the  effect  the  first  sight  might  produce  upon 
my  mind,  much  less  presume  to  add  another 
line  to  w^hat  has  already  been  written.  En- 
tering the  warden's  gate,  in  a  moment  before 
us  uprose  the  venerable  Abbey,  made  up  of 
columns,  arches,  buttresses,  and  canopied 
niches  filled  with  sculptured  figures,  and 
quaint  forms  of  animals  and  birds  on  carved 
bracket^,  adorned  with  flowers,  leaves,  twigs, 
ferns,  acorns,  cones,  and  vines,  so  artistically 
chiseled,  that  a  straw  might  penetrate  the 
interstices.  The  nave  and  chancel  are  entire- 
ly roofless,  and  hundreds  of  swallows  and 
rooks  were  chirping  and  twittering  to  each 
other  while  feeding  their  young,  or  repairing 

15 


176  LEAFLETS. 

their  nests  among  the  rubbish  and  bright 
yellow  wall-llowers.  Century  after  century 
has  been  slowly  crumbling  these  magnificent 
walls,  and  eaten  out  many  irregular  shapes 
and  niches;  but  nature  in  all  her  kindliness 
has  taken  this  beautiful  ruin  to  her  heart, 
shielding  it  from  decay  by  a  heavy  green 
mantle  of  ivy  thrown  gracefully  over  it, 
which  heightens,  rather  than  destroys  its 
beauty. 

Within  the  abbey  are  the  remains  of  many 
a  king,  gallant  warrior,  and  venerable  priest. 
Neai-  the  spot  where  the  high  altar  once  stood, 
is  a  slab  of  dark  marble,  in  which  is  imbedded 
petrified  shells,  and  under  it  is  supposed  to 
rest  the  dust  of  Alexander  the  Second.  I 
gathered  some  little  leaves  and  flowers,  grow- 
ing on  the  spot  where  was  deposited  the  heart 
of  the  brave  Robert  Bruce,  it  having  been 
buried  here  after  an  unsuccessful  attempt  had 
been  made  by  Douglas  to  carry  it  to  the  Hol}^ 
Land.  After  spending  several  hours,  we  re- 
turned to  our  hotel,  very  near  by,  to 
gain  our  next  view  of  the  Abbey  by  the  pale 
moonlight,  which  adds  so  many  charms  to  the 
scene. 


DRYBURGH     ABBEY.  177 

June  l^th 
This  is  the  anniversary  of  our  wedding-day. 
The  ardor  of  our  youthful  affections  has 
passed  the  ordeal  of  live  years  of  life's  reali- 
ties. But  few  of  the  snows  of  old  Winter 
have  drifted  upon  our  pathway,  while  much 
of  sunshine  and  happine.^s  have  been  ours 
richly  to  enjoy.  Taking  an  early  breakfast, 
we  started  lor  Dryburgh  Abbey,  the  burial- 
place  of  Sir  Walter  Scott.  Wishing  to  enjoy 
a  morning-walk,  we  left  the  train  at  a  small 
village  a  mile  or  two  from  the  Abbey,  just  as 
the  sun  was  saying  good  morning  to  earth. 
Passing  through  one  of  the  narrow  streets,  a 
little  bonnie  lassie,  yet  m  her  night-gown,  di- 
rected us  to  the  path  we  were  to  take,  which 
followed  a  little  streamlet  that  babbled  and 
danced  along,  seeming  of  little  use,  except  to 
add  sweet  notes  to  nature's  orchestra,  vocal 
with  the  songs  of  the  birds,  warbling  in  grove 
and  dell. 

There  is  so  much  of  unrestrained  nature  in 
a  skipping,  laughing  rill,  that  I  love  to  join 
in  its  mirth,  without  any  of  that  sickly  senti- 
mentality which  sits  pensively  for  hours  on 


178  LEAFLETS. 

the  margin  of  a  river  to  watch  the  "silver 
moon." 

The  stream  we  were  ibllowing  was  to 
guide  us  to  the  Abbey,  being  a  tributary 
to  the  Tweed,  Howing  fast  by  the  conse- 
crated shrine.  But  our  path,  for  a  time  di- 
verging, we  entered  a  hill-side  forest,  where 
the  ivy  and  cypress- vines  entwined  their  long 
tendrils  lovingly  around  the  olden  oaks,  just 
as  little  children  cling  to  their  grandsires. 
Tlu'  pearly  dew-drops  were  glistening  and 
trembling  on  every  blade  of  grass;  the  vio- 
lets, forget-me-nots,  and  vspring  beauties,  flo- 
ra's delicate  and  fair  children,  which,  an  hour 
ago,  were  fast  asleep,  now  began  to  open 
their  eyes  to  the  rays  of  the  morning  sun, 
as  they  came  straggling  through  the  trees. 
Our  narrow  path  now  became  rough,  leading 
along  projecting  rocky  cliffs,  overhanging  the 
water's  edge ;  then  down  again  among  the 
pebbles  on  the  shore,  where  we  inhaled  the 
cooling  breeze  as  it  danced  over  the  waters, 
keeping  time  to  the  music  of  invisible  feet. 
Thus  it  is,  thought  I,  with  the  "stream  of 
life  ;"  mortals  do  not  always  glide  down,  calmy 
and  peacefully,  until  they  land  triumphantly 


DRYBURGH     ABBEY.  179 

on  the  shores  of  immortality.  At  times,  they 
have  to  leave  their  little  barque  on  the  placid 
stream,  and  climb  for  awhile  over  the  rugged 
rocks  and  rough  mountain-sides  of  life.  List- 
ening a  moment,  I  heard  a  i'amiliar  voice  in 
advance  of  me  call  out  to  hasten  on.  I  said 
I  might  as  well,  once  for  all,  give  up  keeping 

step  with  Mr.  N ,  for  he  will  always  go 

before  me.  At  this  moment  I  was  lingering 
to  watch  the  butter-cups  and  daisies,  as  they 
unfolded  their  thin  petals,  fragrant  with  the 
breath  of  morning,  and  kissing  in  the  dew- 
drops — the  tears  night  had  been  weeping.  I 
was  also  intepreting  their  language — a  purer, 
holier,  never  found  a  translation.     To  me, 

"  Flowers  are  the  alphabet  of  angels, 
Whereby  they  write  on  hills  and  dales  mysterious  truths.'* 

I  tread  the  soil  lightly,  for  fear  of  crushing 
one  of  these  children  of  the  dust.  But  my 
noble  better  half  admires  and  studies  the 
older,  larger  members  of  this  great  family — 
the  sturdy  oak,  the  proud  cedars  of  Lebanon, 
the  thickly  populated  forests,  that  have  en- 
dured the  blasts  of  ^olus  for  an  hundred 
years.  I  love  the  smooth  pebbles  that  so  ex- 
quisitely pave  the  pathway  of   the   stream, 

15* 


180  LEAFLETS. 

or  washed  on  the  water's  edge,  keeping  time 
with  the  music  of  the  waves,  which  is  as  the 
sweet,  gentle  voices  of  little  children  at  even- 
tide. He  loves  to  decipher  the  hieroglyphics 
of  nature  on  rough  and  rugged  rocks  that  rear 
their  lofty  heads  high  in  the  air,  in  "  wild,  fan- 
tastic forms."  I  admire  the  dew-drop,  that 
gathers  strength  as  it  advances,  until  able  to 
overcome  the  impediments  of  the  stern  moun- 
tain-side, marks  out  its  own  silvery  course 
through  the  smiling  valley  and  shaded  wood- 
land, which  nature's  loving  student  declares 
"  a  thing  of  beauty — a  joy  forever."  He  ad- 
mires the  majestic  river,  that  deepens,  and 
widens,  and  swells,  until  it  bears  to  the  surg- 
ing bosom  of  the  mighty  ocean  the  conmierce 
of  the  world;  or  the  cataract  that,  for  miles, 
shuts  out  every  other  sound  in  nature  by  its 
deafening  roar.  I  am  charmed  with  the  "still 
small  voices"  in  nature.  He  listens  and  is 
charmed  with  the  clashing  thunderbolt,  as  it 
rends  the  azure  vault  of  heaven.  The  majestic 
river;  the  mighty  ocean;  the  thundering  cata- 
ract; the  towering  mountain  ;  the  vast,  dense 
forest;  the  broad,  expansive  earth,  with  the 
fullness  thereof,   f>rm   the   grand  temple   in 


DRYBURGH     ABBEY.  181 

which  he  worships,  and  at  whose  altars  he  bows 
— looking  from  "nature  up  to  nature's  God." 
I  enter  the  inner  temple  for  worship,  after 
Elijah's  wind  rending  the  mountains  and 
breaking  the  rocks ;  after  the  earthquake  and 
fire  have  passed  away,  when  is  heard  only  the 
"still  small  voice"  whispering  to  the  humble 
soul  paying  its  loving  tribute  to  the  God  of 
nature.  But,  as  the  incense  of  our  worship 
ascends  to  our  Creator — the  great  God  of  the 
universe,  the  exultant  notes  of  both  strains 
harmoniously  blend  in  one  "  our  Father  made 
them  all!" 

The  crystal  waters  of  the  Tweed  glided  by 
us  as  we  waited  on  the  shore  a  few  moments 
for  a  boy,  who  came  and  rowed  us  over  the 
liver  in  a  little  boat,  landing  us  within  ten 
minutes'  walk  of  the  Abbey.  At  the  lodge, 
the  custodian  was  a  bonnie  lady,  who  accom- 
panied us  to  show  us  the  ruins,  deeply  im- 
b;)somed  in  noble  trees,  some  of  them  the 
grandest  old  yew-trees  I  ever  saw.  We  se- 
cured some  twigs  fj^om  one  as  old  as  the 
Abbey,  which  was  founded  by  pious  David  the 
First,  in  1150.  This,  together  with  nearly  all 
the  Abbeys  of  Southern  Scotland,  was  built  by 


182  LEAFLETS. 

him,  as  an  evidence  of  his  gratitude  for  the 
miraculous  preservation  of  his  life,  when  at- 
tacked by  a  wild  stag,  while  hunting.  Being 
unable  to  defend  himself,  it  is  related  that  a 
cross  suddenly  descended  from  heaven  into 
his  hand.  The  stag,  seeing  it,  tied  at  once  in 
dismay.  In  a  dream,  afterward,  he  received 
a  mandate  from  heaven  to  go  on  and  found 
these  magnificent  places  of  worship,  which 
he  did,  almost  to  the  beggary  of  his  kingdom. 
Yet  these  Abbeys  could  not  always  have  been 
the  holiest  of  places ;  for  here,  in  this  one, 
we  saw,  in  a  dungeon,  a  most  horrible  arrange- 
ment for  torture — a  hole  cut  in  the  solid  stone, 
into  which  the  prisoner's  hand  was  thrust, 
and  wedged  in  with  a  wooden  mallet,  then 
was  again  chained  to  the  wall.  This  hole  is 
placed  so  low  that  the  prisoner  could  neither 
stand  or  lie  down,  but  only  kneel.  The  prin- 
cipal remains  of  the  building  are  the  western 
gable  of  the  nave  of  the  Church,  the  end  of 
the  transept,  part  of  the  choir,  and  a  portion 
of  the  domestic  buildings  ;  also  St.  Catherine's 
circular  window,  twelve  feet  in  diu meter, 
beautifully  radiated,  and  gorgeously  encircled 
with  ivy.    The  western  door  of  the  Church  is 


DRYBURGH     ABBEY.  183 

built  like  a  Roman  arch,  and  ornamented  with 
roses.  St.  Mary's  aisle  is  by  far  the  most 
beautiful  part  of  the  ruins;  and  all  along 
through  it  are  now  growing  evergreen  trees, 
and  a  few  cedars  from  Lebanon.  As  we  enter, 
at  the  right  of  this  aisle,  is  the  tomb  of  Sir 
Walter  Scott,  who  was  buried  here  Septeml)er 
26th,  1832,  among  the  graves  of  his  ancestors. 
<  n  one  side  of  his  tomb  is  that  of  his  wife ; 
on  the  other,  his  eldest  son.  The  tomb  is 
plain  and  simple,  sheltered  by  this  immense 
structure — broken  down,  desolate,  and  lonely 
in  the  extreme.  Yet  to  me  this  consecrated 
spot  appeared  invested  with  a  reverential 
pleasure,  making  it  religiously  lovely.  As  a 
whole,  when  we  consider  his  life,  and  the 
closing  up  of  his  eventful  career,  perhaps 
there  is  no  spot  in  the  wide  world  more  befit- 
ting for  the  last  resting-place  of  the  patiiarch 
poet.  Let  the  moss  grow,  and  the  ivy  creep 
over  the  mouldering  walls  ;  let  the  winds  sigh 
through  these  broken  arches,  and  whisper 
among  the  twigs  of  the  cedars  and  evergreens^ 
or  sweep  down  these  desolate  aisles;  let  the 
devoted  pilgrims  gather  the  roses  growing 
near   his   grave,  as    mementos   sacred  to  his 


184  LEAFLETS. 

memory  —  the    immortal    Sir    Walter    Scott 
sleeps  well ! 

Leaving  Dry  burgh,  we  returned  to  Melrose, 
and,  taking  a  carriage,  we  rode  to  Abbotsford, 
a  distance  of  some  three  miles.  It  is  also 
delightfully  situated  on  the  banks  of  the 
Tweed.  On  arriving  at  the  family  residence 
of  Scott,  our  coachman  paused  at  the  garden 
entrance.  The  gardener,  answering  to  the 
bell,  conducted  us  Hrst  through  the  beautiful 
grounds,  where  the  flowers  were  in  full  bloom, 
and  the  vegetables  rich  in  abundance.  Here 
and  there  we  observed  quaint  and  curious 
fragments  of  art,  incorporated  in  the  walls  or 
introduced  in  arbors  for  flowers,  in  a  style 
characteristic  of  the  man  who  placed  them 
there.  The  paiks  and  lawns,  overlooking  the 
smiling  waters  of  the  Tweed,  are  i-omantic 
and  lovely,  commanding  fine  views.  It  was 
here  Sir  Walter  walked,  and  talked,  and 
studied,  read,  thought,  and  wrote ;  and  in 
this  house  lived  and  died.  The  interior  of 
the  building  is  in  wonderful  keeping  with  the 
genius  and  taste  of  the  master-mind  w  ho  ar- 
ranged every  apartment.  The  entrance-room 
is  lighted  with  stained  glass,  and  hung  with 


ABBOTS  FORD.  185 

arms  of  almost  every  description,  and  adorned 
with  thousands  of  curiosities.  Among  them 
all,  naturally  enough,  we  examined  with  in- 
terest the  pistols  used  by  Napoleon  the  First, 
and  the  gun  owned  by  the  adventurous  Rob 
Roy.  The  drawing-room,  dining-room,  and 
parlors  are  filled  with  choice  relics  and  pres- 
ents of  great  value,  and  the  walls  hung  with 
family  portraits  and  pictures,  by  the  best  art- 
ists. These  were  all  objects  of  interest  to 
look  at;  but  it  afforded. us  greater  pleasure  to 
be  in  his  library,  whose  walls  are  covered  with 
his  books,  and  to  sit  at  the  table  at  which  he 
wrote,  handle  the  pen  and  inkstand  he  used, 
and  examine  the  books  lying  on  the  table  as 
he  left  them,  thirty  years  ago.  1  lingered 
here,  if,  perchance,  one  single  breath  of  his 
inspiration  might  still  laden  the  air.  The 
notes  of  that  lyre  that  thrilled  the  world  have 
died  away,  but  I  seemed  to  hear  their  faint 
vibrations  still.  In  a  small  room  adjoining 
the  library  are  the  clothes  last  worn  by  him, 
and  the  cane  that  supported  his  enfeebled 
and  tottering  frame — sacred  relics  these — at 
which  thousands  will  look  mournfully,  and 
sigh  that  Scott  was  ever  born  to  die. 


CHAPTER    XV. 

JEDB.URGH      ABBEY  — KELSO     ABBEY  — ROSLIX     CHAPEL- 
NORTHERN    SCOTLAND. 

June  15th. 
Leaving  Melrose,  we  took  the  train  for,  and 
arrived  at,  Jedburgh  late  in  the  evening,  and, 
as  the  Abbey  was  the  principal  object  of  at- 
traction in  this  little  town,  we  resolved  to  see 
it  that  night,  and  thus  be  ready  to  leave  early 
the  next  morning.  At  that  late  hour,  we  had 
some  difficulty  in  finding  the  warden.  We 
succeeded,  however,  in  seeing  him,  and  en- 
tered by  moonlight,  which  was  exceedingly 
bright.  The  traces  of  the  flames  on  these 
ruined  walls,  caused  by  a  conflagration,  when 
besieged,  in  the  times  of  Edward  the  Third, 
are  still  visible,  and  added  to  the  blackness 
and  gloom  of  viewing  it  at  night.  We  wan- 
dered a  little  time  among  the  old  tombs  in  the 
yard  surrounding  the  abbey,  with  the  moon 
for  our  lamp,  hung  in   the  vaulted   heavens, 


JEDBURGH     ABBEY.  187 

the  scene  was  grand  and  imposing.  Over 
the  intersection  of  the  nave  and  transept 
rises  a  massive  square  tower,  with  irregular 
turrets,  and  belfry,  one  hundred  feet  high 
from  the  top,  our  guide  assured  us,  was  a 
charming  view  by  moonlight  of  the  town, 
and  the  rich  and  productive  soil  of  the  sur- 
rounding country.  I  was  too  weary  to  ascend, 
but  unwilling  to  prevent  Mr.  N ,  con- 
sented to  remain  alone  in  the  part  rudely 
fitted  up  with  seats  for  a  parish  Church.  The 
darkness  would  have  been  total  had  not  tlie 
faint  rays  of  the  moon  struggled  through 
the  stained  glass.  The  stillness  and  gloom 
was  awful:  my  own  breathing  seemed  to 
bring  back  an  echo  in  this  great  sarcophagus, 
filled  with  the  inscriptions  of  the  glory  of  its 
dead  old  abbots,  earls,  and  Augustine  friars, 
and  surrounded  with  but  little  of  the  sacred 
ness  that 

•'In  dim  cathedrals,  dark  witli  vaulted  p:looin; 
What  holy  awe  iuvests  the  silent  tomb!" 

Early  next  morning,  we  visited  the  house 

occupied  by  Mary  Queen  of  Scots  during  the 

violent  attack  of  fever  that  followed  the  long 

ride  of  nearlv  sixty  miles  in  one  day,  to  the 

16 


188  LEAFLETS. 

peril  of  her  life,  at  the  period  in  her  history 
when  the  stoini-cloud  hung  so  fearfully  over 
hvv.  Taking  the  train,  we  arrived  at  Kelso, 
in  time  foi-  hreakfast,  after  which  we  visited 
the  Ahbey,  standing  out  alone  in  its  grandeur, 
said  to  be  the  first-born  of  King  David's  pious 
zeal.  Few,  if  any  of  the  abbeys  of  Scotland 
have  suffered  more  from  invasion,  plunder, 
war,  or  flames,  than  this;  and  .^till  it  towers 
up,  in  lofty  proportions,  a  magnificent  ivy- 
clad  ruin.  About  a  mile  from  this  little  town 
is  Floors'  Palace,  the  residence  of  the  Duke 
of  Roxburgh,  and,  without  doubt,  the  finest 
baronial  edifice  in  Scotland.  In  its  extensive 
park  is  still  pointed  out  the  holly-bush  mark- 
ing the  spot  where  James  the  Second  was 
killed  by  the  bursting  of  a  cannon,  at  the 
time  the  castle  was  besieged,  in  1460. 

Again  taking  the  cars,  and  pufhng  through 
a  pretty  bit  of  country,  we  reached  Roslin 
Castle,  a  mouldering  ruin,  with  its  triple  tier 
of  vaults,  still  clinging  together,  on  a  high 
rock,  looking  down  into  the  wildest  glen  I 
have  seen  in  Scotland.  The  Esk,  almoiit  hid 
from  sight  in  the  dark  ravine  below,  finds  its 
course  through  tangled  willows  and  matted 


ROSLIN     CHAPEL.  189 

vines.  The  origin  of  the  castle  is  involved  in 
obscurity,  except  thtat  a  proud  family,  by  the 
njiine  of  St.  Clair,  once  lived  there,  surrounded 
by  a  wealthy  and  gay  court.  Passing  the 
bridge,  which  seems  to  swing  over  the  chasm, 
we  continued  our  ramble,  clambering  amidst 
the  uneven  surface  o!  the  grounds  for  hours, 
delighted  with  the  wildness  of  the  scenery, 
where  nature,  in  her  happiest  moments,  has 
so  admirably  combined  the  sublime  and  beauti- 
ful in  endless  variety.  We  stopped  at  a  rus- 
tic, but  neat  little  hotel,  and  ordered  dinner. 
The  landlord,  a  genuine  Scotchman,  boasted 
of  being  a  descendant  of  the  grand  lairds  of 
the  castle,  but  without  any  knowledge  of  their 
genealogy.  After  doing  justice  to  our  plain, 
Scotish  dinner,  we  resumed  our  walk  in  search 
of  Roslin  Chapel,  which  we  found  by  no 
means  a  ruin,  as  anticipated,  but  the  most 
perfect  specimen  of  florid  architecture  in  the 
world.  It  was  built  four  hundred  years  ago, 
and,  by  constant  repairs,  it  retains  its  original 
appearance.  The  ceilings,  architraves,  pillars, 
and  capitals  are  loaded  with  sculpture,  giving 
the  interior  the  appearance  of  a  sculptured 
gallery.     In  one  of  the  small  chapels,  accord- 


190  leaflp:tb. 

ing  to  tradition,  the  lovely  Rosabelle  was 
christened,  and  there  my  beloved  " laird '^ 
placing  his  hand  on  my  head,  gave  the  prefix 
of  "Ev"  to  my  name,  which  made  me  Evan- 
geline. The  most  interesting  object  within 
the  chapel  is  the  ^'  'Prentice's  Pillar,"  exquis- 
itely sculptured,  with  wr(\aths  of  flowers  and 
foliage  twisted  spirally  around  it.  The  his- 
tory connected  with  this  pillar  is  as  romantic 
as  morally  instructive.  The  master-ma- 
son, being  unable  to  complete  this  column 
from  the  designs  he  had,  Avent  to  Rome  to 
study  a  similar  one  there.  During  his  absence, 
his  apprentice  executed  this  beautifully-fluted 
column.  On  his  return,  surprised  at  the  skill, 
and  admiring  the  genius  the  youth  had  dis- 
played, yet  envious  of  his  lame — (earing  it 
might  supercede  his  own — in  the  moment  of 
anger,  he  struck  the  apprentice  dead  on  the 
spot  with  a  mallet  he  held  in  his  hand. 
That  night  we  bade  adieu  to 

'•  Roslin's  towers  and  biaos  sae  boiinie, 
Craigs  and  waters,  woods  and  i?lcn, 
Roslin's  l>anks  unppor'd  by  on}'," 

and  returning  to  Edinburgh,  the  next  day  we 
started  on  our  trip  for  the  Highlands  and  Lochs 


DUNFERMLINE    ABBEY.  191 

of  northern  Scotland.  It  was  nearly  sun- 
down when  we  reached  Dunfermline,  and  on 
entering  town,  was  surprised  to  find  the  stores 
and  shops  closed  at  that  early  hour,  and  the 
streets  as  quiet  as  the  Sabbath  day,  but  on  in- 
quiiy,  learned  that  it  was  an  annual  fast-day. 
The  old  Abbey  standing  near  the  new  Church, 
together  form  an  immense  pile  of  architec- 
ture, and  are  hallowed  by  being  the  resting 
place  of  eight  kings,  five  queens,  six  princes, 
and  two  princesses.  Here  is  buried  the  body 
of  King  Uobert  the  Bruce ;  his  heart  is  in- 
terred in  Melrose  Abbey,  and  it  is  said  the 
Holy  Father  sent  his  soul  to  heaven.  The 
grounds  and  the  palace,  once  so  beautful,  now 
lie  neglected,  and  rooks,  a  species  of  the  crow, 
build  their  nests  there.  I  gathered  some  ivy 
clinging  to  the  crumbling  frame-work  of  a 
window  which  illumined  the  room  where 
Charle-  the  First  was  born.  The  trees,  old 
and  stately,  spread  their  branches  over  these 
tuined  walls.  The  ravine,  where  once  crystal 
waters  murmured  low  sweet  music  on  the  ear 
of  royalty,  is  now  filled  up  with  rubbish  and 
filth,  the  accumulation  of  ages.     On  returning 

to  my  h(;tel,  I  wrote  a  letter  to  my  precious 

10'^ 


192  LEAFLETS. 

mother,  and  such  is  the  len,<:^th  of  the  days  in 
Scothind,  this  season  of  the  year,  that  T  could 
see  distinct]}^  to  fmish  it  at  half-past  ten 
o'clock   P.  M. 

The  next  morning  \\v.  rode  a  few  miles  in 
the  cars,  and  on  leaving  them  were  hurriedly 
huddled  into  an  old  Highland  stage  coach, 
with  a  driver  clad  in  plaids,  who  cracked  his 
whip  and  whirled  us  off  at  a  rapid  rate,  as  if 
some  point  w^as  to  be  reached  at  the  peril  of 
every  passing  moment.  In  a  short  time,  how- 
ever, we  found  ovn\selves  jogging  at  a  slow  rate 
over  the  Highlands,  until  we  reached  the  Tro- 
sachs,  wdiich  are  rocky,  romantic  defiles,  where 
nature  displays  many  irregular  aspects  in 

"i^rai^s.  knolls,  and  mounds  confusedly  Imrled 
The  fragments  of  an  earlier  world." 

As  we  emerged  from  this  wilderness  of  rocks 
and  precipices,  we  came  in  sight  of  Loch  Ka- 
trine, where  we  soon  exchanged  the  crowded 
stage-coach  for  a  clean  little  steamer  waitinc: 
for  us.  It  was  a  bright  and  lovely  hour  as 
we  glided  past  Ellen's  Isle,  like  an  emerald  set- 
ting in  the  lake;  musing  on  the  fair  maiden, 
whom  Scott  relates  as  having  her  first  inter- 
view with  the  Knight  of  Snowdoun  cm  this 


LOCH     LOMOND.  ]93 

Isle  that  bears  her  name.  We  seemed  too  soon 
to  pass  over  this  charming  lake,  combin- 
ing so  much  beauty  with  a  kind  of  Alpine 
dignity.  Stepping  from  the  boat,  Ave  climbed 
up  a  ladder  into  a  large  open  wagon,  in 
which  w^e  were  conveyed  through  the  wild 
valley  leading  to  Loch  Lomond,  forming  the 
home  of  the  MacGregors,  and  the  haunts  of 
Rob  Roy;  the  roads  were  rough  and  rocky, 
the  soil  covered  w^ith  heather  and  broom,  the 
trees  stunted  and  dw^arfish.  But  nothing  can 
surpass  the  beauty  of  Loch  Lomond,  the  pride 
of  all  the  Scottish  lakes,  and  according  to  an 
old  highland  legend  it  is 

"  Famous  for  three  things ; 
Waves  without  -winds, 
Fish  without  fins. 
And  an  Island  that  swims." 

It  is  an  in  egular,  narrow  sheet  of  water, 
thirty  miles  long,  and  in  no  place  more  than 
five  wide.  The  scenery  is  exceedingly 
captivating,  and  at  many  points  reminding 
me  of  views  on  the  Hudson  river,  near  West 
Point.  There  is  no  fear  of  being  alone  on 
these  celebrated  waters.  Our  little  steamer 
was  crowded  with    tourists,  some,  like    our- 


194  LEAFLETS. 

selves,  with  guide-book  in  hand,  others  with 
guns  and  dogs,  seeking  recreation  in  these 
wild  districts,  never  resorted  to  for  business 
purposes. 

No  vision  of  loveliness  1  have  ever  gazed 
upon,  excels  the  mountains  of  Loch  Lomond. 
Among  them  all,  Ben  LouKmd,  the  giant, 
towers  up  over  thirty-two  hundred  feet,  while 
his  brothers  gradually  diminish  until  they  be- 
come gentle  elevations.  At  one  point,  they 
nestle  and  huddle  together,  looking  over  into 
the  lake  as  if  it  were  a  mirror  upon  which 
they  are  gazing;  then,  side  by  side,  stretching 
out  in  the  distance,  higher  peaks  appear  as  if 
watching  their  turn  to  display  beauty  in  out- 
line and  delicate  tints  of  blue,  until  blending 
in  the  azure  of  the  sky. 

As  we  glided  along,  far  up  among  the  crags, 
we  were  pointed  out  Bruce's  Cave,  so  called 
because  that  chieftain  secreted  himself  there 
one  night  when  pursued  by  his  enemies. 
Having  intruded  into  the  sleeping  apartment 
of  a  mountain  goat,  he  fell  asleep,  and  the 
animal  coming  in  trod  upon  his  garments ; 
supposing  it  to  be  his  enemies,  he  sprang  to 
his  feet,  but  seeing  the  innocent  creature,  he 


GLASGOW.  195 

was  gratefully  surprised,  and  in  token  ol'  lii.s 
good  fortune,  when  he  became  king,  passed  a 
law,  and  had  it  recorded  in  the  statute  books, 
that  from  that  time  all  goats  should  be  Iree 
thrcnighout  Scotland,  and  not  punishable  for 
any  offence  they  might  connnit.  Very  re- 
luctantly leaving  these  most  charming  lakes, 
we  reached  Glasgow  by  train  toward  evening, 
the  commercial  metropolis  of  Scotland, 
and  called  the  cradle  of  steam  naviga- 
tion, as  some  of  the  finest  steamers  in  the 
world  have  been  fitted  out  here.  It  is  also 
noted  for  its  extensive  manufactories.  The 
city  has  many  points  of  interest,  being  built 
on  both  sides  of  the  Cl^de,  which  is  spanned 
by  snperb  bridges,  and  many  of  the  streets^ 
are  exceedingly  beautiful.  The  venerable 
Cathedral,  some  hundreds  of  years  old,  did 
not  fail  to  receive  our  attention  A  bridge 
known  as  the  "  Bridge  of  Sighs,"  afibrds  acces 
to  a  very  conspicuous  cemetery ;  the  ancient 
monuments,  standing  out  against  the  sky, 
forms  a  back-ground  to  the  Cathedral.  This 
place  is  also  called  the  Necropolis,  and  believ- 
ed by  many  to  have  been  the  dark  retreats  of 
the  Druids  in  the  olden  time.      On  this  ])old 


196  LEAFLETS. 

eminence,  which  shoots  up  so  suddenly,  stands 
the  monument  of  John  Knox,  giving  an  air 
of  grandeur  to  the  whole,  as  the  great  Re- 
former looks  down  in  marble  form  upon  one 
of  the  most  striking  and  varied  scenes  that 
can  be  imagined. 

At  two  in  the  afternoon  we  took  the  steam- 
er Thistle,  and  swept  along  down  the  waters 
of  the  Clyde,  enjoying  its  fine  scenery,  com- 
posed of  hills  and  dales,  castles  and  towers. 
Duiing  the  night,  we  crossed  the  channel, 
and  early  next  morning,  before  sun-rise,  the 
rocky  shore  of  the  Emerald  Isle  was  in  view, 
and  on  which  we  soon  landed  at  the  little 
town  of  Portrush,  in  the  north  of  Ireland. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

I R  K  L  A  N  1)  —  (H  A  N  T  '  P     C  A  U  S  E  V;  A  Y  —  B  E  L  F  A  S  T  —  I )  U  H  L  I  N  . 

June  24^A 
At  an  earlj'  hour,  we  heard  the  sweet 
chimes  proclaiming  the  hallowed  day,  and  at 
ten  o'clock  attended  service  in  the  Establish- 
ed Chmxh,  where  the  audience  evinced  re- 
fined taste  in  their  dress  and  manners,  harmo- 
nizing with  their  religious  worship.  In  the 
afternoon,  we  listened  to  a  sermon  in  the 
Wesley  an  Chapel,  where  Adam  Clarke  form- 
erly preached  and  commenced  his  minis- 
terial labors,  and  was  born  only  a  few 
miles  distant.  The  ground  seemed  sacred, 
having  once  been  pressed  by  such  an  intellect- 
ual christian  giant.  On  an  eminence,  about  a 
rod  from  the  Chapel,  there  has  recently  been 
erected  a  splendid  monument,  worthy  of  his 
exalted  memory.  This  lovely  Sabbath,  with 
its  jewel  hours,  will  never  be  forgotten. 


198  LEAFLETS. 

We  arose  this  morning,  and  found  the  rain 
pouring  down  in  torrents,  but  succeeded, 
however,  in  securing  a  comfortable  carriage, 
and  started  lor  the  great  Irish  wonder,  if  not 
the  wonder  of  the  world — the  Giant's  Cause- 
way, about  four  miles  distant.  Our  road  lay 
along  the  coast,  and,  on  a  pleasant  morning, 
it  might  have  been  charming,  as  it  gave  us  an 
extensive  view  of  the  surging  waters  ;  but,  in 
a  driving  rain,  it  was  bleak,  cold,  and  dreary. 
After  riding  a  few  miles,  we  came  to  Dun- 
luce  Castle,  a  venerable  ruin,  on  a  huge, 
insulated  rock,  overhanging  the  sea,  once  the 
residence  of  Earl  Antrim,  now  the  roofless 
and  desolate  abode  of  howling  winds,  and  the 
haunts  of  hundreds  of  screaming  sea-gulls. 
The  rain  still  continuing,  we  arrived  at  the 
spacious  hotel  near  the  Causeway ;  but,  as  we 
were  resolved  not  to  be  foiled  in  our  purpose, 
we  descended  from  the  carriage,  and  not  be- 
ing able  to  secure  a  guide  at  that  eaily  hour, 
in  the  rain  we  started  alone,  braving  the 
storm,  to  find  the  Giant.  We  soon  found  the 
mud  a  formidable  foe,  impeding  our  safe  ad- 
vance, as  we  came  very  near  precipitating 
ourselves  headlong  down  a  steep  hill  in  the 


giant's   causeway.  199 

rear  of  the  hotel,  rendered   slippery  by  the 
rain. 

At  the  base  of  the  hill,  we  took  a  winding 
course  below  a  ledge  of  rocks  or  cliffs,  rising 
nearly  four  hundred  feet  above  us.  Just  as 
we  w^ere  entering  upon  the  columnar  forma- 
tion of  basaltic  rock,  extending  far  down  into 
the  sea,  a  sturdy  Irish  guide  came  rushing  at 
full  speed  after  us,  impelled  hyfee  motives,  no 
doubt,  and  hallooing,  ^'Och!  where  are  yees? 
where  are  yees  ?"  When  our  presence  gave  him 
our  whereabouts,  he  continued,  "  An'  wud  yees 
be  comin'  a  mornin'  the  like  o'  this,  before  yees 
wur  out  o'  ye're  beds?"  and  commenced  at 
once  to  blarneyize  this,  as  he  called,  ''  very 
wanderful  plaze."  The  general  appearance 
is  not  exactly  as  I  had  anticipated ;  the 
columns  are  not  as  high,  but  their  strange 
and  peculiar  forms  absorbed  my  attention  as 
objects  of  the  greatest  interest.  The  pillars, 
or  columns,  are  irregular  in  their  size  and 
form;  the  polj^gon,  varying  in  number  from 
three  to  nine,  with  masses  of  triangular  and 
octagonal  columns,  crowded  together;  the 
hexagonal  usually  prevailing.     These  angles 

all  exactly  correspond  with  the  column  that 

17 


200  LEAFLETS. 

adjoins  its  fellow  so  closely  that  the  seams, 
or  interstices,  will  not  admit  water,  except  in 
the  case  of  the  Giant's  Well,  where  it  bubbles 
up  a  little.  What  a  record  the  unerring 
hand  of  nature  has  written,  in  beautiful  hie- 
roglyphics, on  these  tables  ol  stone !  What  an 
extraordinary  specimen  of  masonry  by  the 
great  Master-Bui Ider  of  heaven  and  earth! 

The  enchantment  of  olden  times  still  lin- 
gers here,  as  attested  by  our  fate-loving  guide, 
who  insisted  on  our  drinking  three  times  from 
the  Giant's  Well,  which  we  did  not  hesitate  to 
do,  as  the  water  was  as  clear  as  crystal, 
showing  the  bottom,  formed  of  three  hexagons, 
and  the  sides  as  perfectly  arranged.  We 
were  obliged  to  forego  the  good  luck  of  sitting 
in  the  "  Ladies'  Chair,"  in  consequence  of  the 
rain.  In  another  direction  are  several  shat- 
tered columns,  which,  at  a  little  distance,  re- 
semble chimneys.  Near  these  is  the  vast 
semi-circular  space,  called  the  ''  Giant's  Thea- 
tre." But  the  most  beautiful  formation  is  a 
cluster  of  columns  arranged  m  the  cliff  at  the 
side  of  the  mountain,  strikingly  representing 
an  immense  organ,  with  a  rock  forming  the 
Giant's  Seat.      Could   he   move    these  keys, 


BELFAST.  201 

what  music  would  vibrate  through  all  nature ! 
As  the  rain,  the  wind,  and  the  waves,  were 
sweeping  in  tury  amid  these  ruins  of  nature, 
and  the  billows  of  old  ocean  were  dancing  in 
triumph  over  these  broken  columns,  the  whole 
scene  was  as  bold  and  impressive  in  its  char- 
acter as  it  was  strange  and  awful  We  re- 
turned to  Toi'tiush,  and,  taking  the  train, 
reached  Belfast  that  evening,  a  nourish- 
ing manufacturing  t  )wn  of  one  hundred 
thousand  inhabitants,  and  having  a  charming 
little  bay.  While  here,  we  enjoyed  a  drive 
in  a  most  curious  vehicle,  called  a  "jaunting- 
car,"  and  we  seemed  to  be  sailing  along,  with 
a  modern  Jehu  for  a  driver,  who  cracked  his 
whip  as  he  whiz/ed  around  the  corners  of  the 
streets.  The  seats  are  the  reverse  of  ours — 
the  persons  sitting  with  their  backs  to  each 
other,  their  feet  resting  on  a  little  board 
extending  over  the  wheels.  As  we  whirled 
through  the  streets,  I  had  as  much  as  I  could 
do  to  retain  my  seat  and  prevent  my  dress 
from  Hoating  in  the  breeze,  as  there  was 
nothing  in  front  to  protect  us.  It  is  a  jolly 
way  of  riding,  the  English  say;  and,  certainly, 
to  any  one,  a   most  amusing   sight  to  see   a 


202  LEAFLETS. 

"jaunting-car,"  drawn  by  one  horse,  and  de- 
signed only  lor  two  persons,  besides  the  driver, 
loaded  down  with  a  dozen  merry  Irish  boys 
and  girls.  This  is  one  way  they  enjoy  life  in 
"ould  Ireland." 

The  next  morning,  we  left  for  Dublin,  and 
arrived  at  the  city  of  fair  women  about  ten 
in  the  forenoon.     Our  route  extended  through 

o 

a  highly  cultivated  countiy,  impi-essing  me 
with  the  deep,  dark  green  which  everywhere 
tinges  the  drapery  of  nature,  and,  no  doubt, 
gained  for  Ireland  the  name  of  the  Emerald 
Isle.  As  we  were  entering  the  city,  a  line 
prospective  opened  before  us,  the  hills  form- 
ing an  amphitheatre,  clad  in  rich  verdure,  and 
adorned  with  grand  old  country  residences. 
Dublin  is  the  capital  of  Ireland,  and  a  mag- 
nificent and  extensive  city.  Many  of  the 
streets  and  public  buildings  are  strikingly 
beautiful,  and  at  every  turn  there  is  an  air  of 
wealth  and  good  taste,  rendering  it  exceed- 
ingly attractive.  The  windows  in  our  room 
at  the  hotel  look  out  on  Nelson's  Monument, 
a  Doric  shaft,  or  tinted  column,  over  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty  feet  high,  surmounted  by  a 
colossal  statue  of  the  great  naval  hero.     The 


DUBLIN.  203 

Irish  Wesleyaii  Conference  was,  at  this  time, 
holding   its   annual    session,    in    which    Mr. 

N became    deeply   interested;    but,   as 

women  are  not  allowed  to  meet  in  their  sit- 
tings, I  took  the  opportunity  to  go  into  the 
large  and  well-filled  shops  and  stores  in^tark- 
ville  street — the  Broadway  of  Dublin — where 
I  saw  many  aristocratic  Irish  ladies  shopping. 
At  half-past  eight  o'clock  that  evening,  a  cler- 
gyman whom  Mr.  N had  met  at  the  Con- 
ference, called  for  us  to  accompany  him  to  a 
union  prayer-meeting,  held  in  a  large  public 
hall.  On  arriving  there,  to  our  surprise  we 
found  it  crowded  with  four  or  ^ve  thousand 
people,  and  it  was  with  difficulty  that  we  suc- 
ceeded in  entering  through  a  side  door.  It 
was  a  glorious  demonstration  of  the  revival 
now  spreading  throughout  Great  Britain. 
Many,  during  the  evening,  related  their  ex- 
perience with  zeal  and  enthusiasm.  It  is 
wonderful  that  these  meetings  are  thus  at- 
tended every  evening. 

The  first  thing  we  did  the  next  morning 
was  to  climb  to  the  top  of  Nelson's  monu- 
ment, standing   in   the   centre   of  Starkville 
Street,  where  we  gained  a  fine  view  of  the 
17* 


204 


LEAFLETS. 


topography  of  the  city  and  its  surroundings. 
The  most  beautiful  feature  in  the  whole  view 
is  the  elegant  arched  bridges  that  span  the 
Lifley,  which  liver  divides  the  city  in  nearly 
equal  parts.  After  descending,  we  took  a 
jaunting  car,  and  rode  through  the  Phoenix 
Pai'k,  containing  seven  miles'  drive  within 
its  gates,  and  enriched  by  a  great  variety  of 
monuments,  trees,  shrubs,  and  flowers. 

■'The  yew  tree  lends  its  shadows  dark. 
And  many  an  old  oak  worn  and  bare, 
With  all  their  slnvered  i)ouf?hs  are  there."' 

This  city  has  many  objects  of  interest,  de- 
taining us  several  days.  The  Cathedral  of 
St.  Patrick  is  a  fine  old  building,  containing 
many  quaint  and  curious  monuments.  The 
patron  saint  of  Ireland  erected  a  Chapel  on 
this  site  in  the  middle  of  the  fifth  century. 
The  venerable  Trinity  College ;  the  old  Houses 
of  Parliament;  the  Castle  ol"  Dublin;  the  ele- 
gant Corinthian  facades  of  the  Royal  Ex- 
change, or  City  Hall;  the  Custom  House,  pro- 
nounced by  many  to  be  the  finest  in  the  Brit- 
ish dominions,  adorned  with  allegorical  figures 
of  Wealth,  Navigation,  Commerce  and  Indus- 
try, and  sculptured  imperscmations  of  Europe, 


GLASNEVEN  CEMETERY.       205 

Asia,  Africa,  and  America,  the  whole  crowned 
by  a  lofty  dome  one  hundred  and  twenty  feet 
high,  which  in  surmounted  by  a  proud  statue 
of  Hope  ; — all  these  buildings  do  honor  to  an 
intelligent  and  patriotic  nation. 

In  the  rural  Cemetery  of  Glasneven,  we 
stood  beside  the  grave  of  O'Connell,  who, 
during  his  life-time,  by  overpowering  elo- 
quence, swayed  the  minds  and  controlled  the 
actions,  if  not  the  destinies,  of  his  country- 
men. In  the  same  grounds,  a  grand  monu- 
ment is  nearly  complete,  and  in  the  crypt,  at 
its  base,  his  remains  are  to  be  placed.  Long 
will  Ireland's  noble  sons  retain  green  the 
memory  of  their  eminent  statesman.  In  St. 
Ann's  Church,  near  the  house  where  she  died, 
in  a  modest  vault,  repose  the  remains  of  the 
lovely  and  gifted  Mrs.  Hemans.  On  a  tablet 
is  inscribed  her  name  and  age,  and  when  she 
died,  accompanied  by  these  thrilling  lines 
from  a  dirge  of  her  own : 

"  Calm  on  the  bosom  of  thy  God. 
Fair  spirit !    rest  tliee  now  ! 
Even  while  with  us  thy  footsteps  trod, 

His  seal  was  on  thy  brow. 
Dust  to  the  narrow  homo  beneath  ! 
Soul  to  its  place  on  high ; 
*  They,  that  have  seen  thy  look  in  death, 

No  more  raav  fear  to  die.'' 


206  LEAFLETS. 

She  was  boi-n  in  Duke  Street,  Liverpool, 
September  25th,  1794.  When  very  young, 
she  gave  indications  of  poetical  genius.  Her 
first  printed  poems  entitled  "Early  Blossoms," 
were  composed  by  her  at  the  age  of  fourteen. 
She  was  married  to  Captain  Hemans,  when 
all  of  youthful  beauty  adorned  her  person, 
with  a  profusitm  of  natural  ringlets  shading 
the  l)loom  of  her  cheeks,  while  her  brilliant 
eyes  gave  expression  to  a  countenance  impos- 
sible for  a  painter  to  describe.  Her  crown- 
ing grace,  was  a  love  for  the  good  and  eleva- 
ted as  evinced  in  the  sweet  purity  of  her  nu- 
merous productions.  She  sweetly  fell  asleep 
in  death  March  26th,  1835. 

We  have  seen  Ireland  only  in  its  most  de- 
lightful aspect,  and  passed  no  dreary  moors, 
and  but  few  fields  of  peat.  In  the  place  of 
the  mud-houses,  I  have  seen  palaces  and  com- 
fortable homes.  Instead  of  coarse  ugly  fea- 
tured women,  I  have  been  charmed  with  the 
beautiful,  robust,  rosy  women  of  Dublin,  and 
the  north  of  Ireland,  and  in  the  absence  of 
uncultivated  "Paddy," with  pipe,  brogans  and 
shillalah,  have  appeared  before  us  the  finest 
specimens  of  intelligent  and  noble  Irish  gentk- 


IRELAND.  207 

men.  We  will  have  to  leave  the  south  of  Ire- 
land, with  the  charming  Lakes  of  Killarney, 
for  another  visit;  why  delay  longer  to  inform 
you  that  we  must  quit  ould  Ireland  without 
kissing  the  renowned  "Blarney  Stone,"  and 
forever  be  deprived  of  the  eloquence  its  kiss 
imparts. 

\ye  have  just  received  intelligence  of  the 
death  of  Prince  Jerome  Bonaparte,  the  last 
brother  of  Napoleon  the  First,  and  have  de- 
cided to  hasten  to  Paris  to  see  his  body  lying 
in  state  at  the  Palace  Royal,  and  to  attend 
his  funeral — a  rare  privilege. 

Thus  we  bid  adieu  to  merrie  England,  bon- 
nie  Scotland,  and  swate  ould  Ireland,  to  enjoy 
sunnie  vine-clad  France. 


^ 


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